As Snug as a bug in aMAMOCHAN!
by Analla
Summary: Serena is having nightmares. Guess how she gets them to go away?
1. Nightmares

Chapter 1

Nightmares

By Analla (also known as Kayla, Rhiannon, and by a slew of other names that everyone else seems to want to lay claim too)

Hello everyone and welcome to the revised version of my first published fanfic. I was about to post a new story when I realized that I had never posted the final chapter of this at ff.net. (I did post it everywhere else though, so I can see why I might have overlooked it.) So I've revised everything, kept most of my original author's notes, but hopefully everything is a bit spiffier then it was before. I know that there are more words. Hopefully they are an improvement, not a detraction.

This is supposed to be a first season, humorous (I hope) romance. I'm using the Japanese names for all the SM purists out there. For the purpose of this story: Rei and Mamoru are still dating, Mamoru is secretly attracted to Usagi, Usagi thinks Mamoru is hot but doesn't want to take Rei's boyfriend, Minako has joined the group, the senshi don't know who Tuxedo Kamen is and vice versa, and they are still looking for the princess.

That was a mouthful.

Today Setsuana will be reading the Standard Disclaimer:

Sailor Pluto sets down her time staff and looks at the piece of paper confused. "The Lady Analla has asked me to confirm that she has not at any time in the past, nor at any time in the present, nor will she at any time in the future lay claim to Sailor Moon."

There I hope everyone's satisfied. Sailor Pluto was especially mad because she had to abandon the Time Gates. If anything interrupts the time stream then I'm blaming it on the lawyers.

Enjoy minna

~*~*~*~*~

__

Usagi tossed uncomfortably beneath the covers. She couldn't seem to find a comfortable position and her dreams weren't helping. DEATH!!! That was all her dreams had been about lately. She dreamt of her family being caught in a fiery inferno. The Senshi being torn apart by youma. And worst of all, Tuxedo Kamen and herself. 

"No." She moaned quietly as another nightmare sequence began.

"They're all gone you realize." A voice echoed from the blackness. "Sailor Moon, the champion of love and justice. You didn't save them." The voice mocked at her. It rebounded against unseen walls and other voices came to join it. They were the voices of Usagi's friends and family suffering through their death throes. "Your friends. Your family. You caused their deaths." 

"NO!" Sailor Moon denied the _apparition. She pulled her hands up to her ears and tried to block out the sounds. Pain lanced through her heart and she fell to the ground in agony, tears welling up in her eyes. She turned her head away and shook it fiercely. "No, no, no."_

"Come, look at your friends." Death chided. "Don't they deserve your pity? Perhaps you could help to alleviate their suffering." Death walked right next to where Usagi lay. "If you were willing to take their place, perhaps I might let them live."

Usagi looked up at the specter in disbelief. He'd never offered her that choice before.

"Would you?"

Death smiled. "Perhaps. Shall we see?" With that the specter pulled back his cape to reveal the last moments of everyone Tsukino Usagi had ever loved.

Luna glanced up from her spot on the windowsill. _"I wish I knew what to do."_ She could choose to wake Usagi up or allow Usagi to continue writhing in her bed. Both choices were not good ones and there didn't seem to be any alternative. Usagi needed as much rest as possible. Would she get more rest by being awake and free of the nightmares or by sleeping and having the nightmares continue?

The nightmares had begun nearly a week ago. At the time Luna thought that Usagi's restlessness was due to fighting five youma in three days. Usagi kicked Luna out of the bed once. Luna waited several moments until Usagi calmed down and then jumped up and curled back up in her warm spot. When Usagi kicked Luna out of the bed the second night. Luna decided to sleep under the bed.

Luna shuddered at the thought. She'd been squashed three times by Usagi. When Luna managed to wake her up the girl opened her eyes briefly and murmured. "You're not my slippers." And then went back to bed. The next day Usagi couldn't even explain to Luna why she was looking for her slippers that late at night or why she thought that they would be under the bed. On the third night Luna decided to sleep on Usagi's dresser. That plan was shortlived when Usagi mistook Luna for an alarm clock and almost knocked her senseless. 

The windowsill was the only safe place left. Luna could watch over her charge, but she could also manage to escape a senseless braining if a certain "odango atama" decided she wanted some fresh air at two in the morning.

Under normal circumstances, Luna might find herself at Mina's or with one of the other Senshi. But as the week passed by, Luna's worry grew. With fighting five youma, Sailor Moon would be the most depleted energywise. 

Luna nodded her head. It was decided then. She wouldn't wake Usagi up, because, even with the nightmares Usagi's body needed the rest.

__

Usagi watched horrified, unable to look away. "Please stop. I don't want to see it again."

Death stared at her, his visage unmarked by emotion. "You can't stop me, I come to all people eventually."

Usagi hid her face again, refusing to watch the massacre before her. She reached deep within herself and pulled out a long neglected power. "Leave them alone." Usagi yelled. "I command you to let them be." A silvery-pink glow suffused the room, the color of a moonbeam. 

The light coalesced and the outline of a man's body began to form. 

Death screamed in pain when a steel-tipped rose hit his chest. The apparition burst into blood red rose petals.

Sailor Moon looked at her champion and smiled. "Tuxedo Kamen?" 

The figure in black merely nodded and then gestured for her to come forward. Usagi eagerly rushed towards her hero.

"You think he can save you?" The voice boomed from nothingness. "I already told you I can defeat any enemy. They all come to me in the end." 

The rose petals rose up and swirled around Tuxedo Kamen turning into sharply honed razors. The razors prevented Usagi from stepping any closer to Tuxedo Kamen. The razors shredded his cape and dug into his clothing. Blood streamed from infinitesimal cuts crisscrossing his skin. The valiant figure clutched at his heart and fell to the ground.

Stunned, Usagi fell to the ground besides her beloved. Whenever a razor hit her, it disappeared in a flash of light. Usagi felt for Tuxedo Kamen's pulse.

Nothing.

An unhuman keening filled the air as she mourned all that she'd lost.

Luna stood up at Usagi's moans. "That's it. I'm waking her up." Leaving Usagi asleep was not worth it if the girl cried. She never cried in her sleep, ever. Luna jumped onto the bed. Usagi sat up and looked at Luna through zombie-dazed eyes. The tears rolled down Usagi's face. She reached up and brushed them away. Usagi reached her hand out blindly. Moments later she snuggled her bunny to her chest and shut her eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

Luna watched Usagi's serene face. "What happened?" What could cause Usagi to get calm so suddenly? She watched Usagi for another half-hour, but Usagi didn't stir again.

"I guess her nightmares are gone." Luna yawned. She kneaded the blanket and then fell into a deep slumber herself. 

__

A gloved finger came up and wiped away the tears from Usagi's eyes. Usagi looked at Tuxedo Kamen. He was unscathed. All of the rose petals gone. No cuts, no blood, nothing.

"Is...is this real?" She asked the question quietly, not wanting to hear the answer. If this was another of death's tricks... Usagi didn't think she could take it, if it turned out to be fake.

"No, not a trick." Tuxedo Kamen answered her. He stood and then pulled her up besides him. "You must remember that your love is one of the strongest powers in the Universe. We have defeated death once and we will do so again. Believe me Serenity."

Serenity nodded her belief. The silvery pink light returned and enveloped the couple. It exploded into a million points of light. The princess and her prince began dancing among the twinkling lights dressed in silk spun by a fairy's hand. Trills of music filled the air and for the moment the princess was content.

Endymion whirled his partner and then brought her back. Serenity rested her head on Endymion's chest and they swayed slowly to the music. "Why can't we stay here forever? I miss you Endymion."

Endymion did not answer.

Serenity sighed. Her love chose not to speak when he could not change something. Perhaps she should enjoy what she had. That thought did not prevent her from voicing her wish. "I wish I could be in your arms for real and not just in this dream world."

Usagi's transformation brooch lifted off of her dresser and danced slowly through the air accompanied by a thousand year old song. It came to rest on her chest and pulsed a silvery pink. A light crackled through the room separating into a hundred different bands of energy. The impromptu lightning storm halted just as suddenly as it begun.

Luna's eyes snapped open her pupils slitting automatically. The afterglow of the light made it difficult to see. Luna looked towards Usagi's bed. It contained rumpled bed sheets and a rather suspicious looking lump.

__

"Why am I not surprised?" Luna sat up and stretched. She blinked her eyes and realized that she couldn't see at all now. 

"Usagi, are you all right?" The cat jumped to the dresser and made her way towards the bed by feel and the keen sense of her whiskers. Once on the bed, Luna pawed around, trying to feel where Usagi was. Panic entered her system. The bed was empty.

Luna called Usagi's name several times. She shook her head trying to get rid of the blindness. Very slowly features began to take shape from the dark mass. When the guardian cat could once again see, she flicked the lightswitch on by using her powers. Light flooded the room and revealed that a certain blond-headed girl was most definitely not there.

Luna had the present of mind to check the rest of the house. She even did a quick circuit of the outside and tried smelling for races of her charge. In desperation Luna returned to the bedroom and found Usagi's communicator hidden beneath a pile of dirty clothes. She pressed the all call button.

"What is it now?" Rei's face appeared and then disappeared as she stuffed a pillow over her head. "Can't the youmas wait until tomorrow?"

Luna waited until all the other senshi were on before she answered Rei's question.

"Usagi's missing. There was an odd display of light and when it disappeared Usagi was gone."

"What?" The senshi echoed each other.

"We need to treat this as a possible kidnapping, perhaps by the Dark Kingdom. I need all of you here immediately so we can start searching for her."

"We'll be there in a few minutes." Ami spoke for the whole group.

The communicator went dark. Luna stepped to the window and looked out into the night. There was nothing to do now, but wait.

~*~*~*~*~

Usagi felt herself being released from the tendrils of her dream. _"I wanna go back to sleep." _She kept her eyes shut and tried to smooth away her grumpiness. For once Luna wasn't yelling in her ear to wake up, that meant that she probably had a few more precious moments to sleep in. Shivering, she moved her hand out, patting around herself in a half circular pattern, trying to find her covers. 

She pulled her hand back suddenly. THAT was most definitely NOT her covers. A pair of arms enfolded Usagi and pulled her towards a muscular chest.

Usagi squirmed, but found it impossible to break the hold upon her. "_This is not happening. . . I'm still dreaming. . . Oh please wake up...oh please wake up."_

She didn't mind dreaming about tall, dark, and handsome strangers. Especially if they were her knight in shining armour. And she didn't even mind if they took her dancing or even to a movie. But imagining herself in bed with one. It was...well, it was just too weird.

Unfortunately this dreamed seemed too real. Usagi could smell a faint tint of roses and she opened her eyes briefly and could even make out indistinct lumps in the darkness. She felt the rythmic breathing of her white knight's chest and could even hear his heartbeat. The dream was too detailed. Too perfect. Too much like something she would never want to wake up from.

Usagi shut her eyes quickly and then she managed to pull an arm free. Somewhere she'd heard that if you pinched yourself then you would wake up. She grabbed a huge chunk of her upper forearm and squeezed for all she was worth. Pain radiated from her arm and she let go.

That had HUUURRRTTT!!! Which meant that this wasn't a dream. Breathing very slowly and trying very hard not to hyperventilate. Usagi turned in her captor's arms. She needed to see who it was, but her eyes were still shut. She finished turing and then opened her eyes up very slowly.

__

"Please let it be Daddy. I know he doesn't normally sleep without a shirt. But please let this be the one night he has and please...OH PLEASE...let me have gone into my parents room."

Usagi looked into her captor's face. 

"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!" She screamed loudly falling out of the bed.

It was Chiba Mamoru.

~*~*~*~*~

Well let me know what you think

Ja ne

Analla

(analla_r@hotmail.com)


	2. Awakening

Hey minna-chan

Thank you so much for all of the reviews. I really do appreciate them. It helped me write this chapter in four days instead of the week that I had originally planned. I wasn't sure if anyone would like this story, but apparently you do. The first chapter isn't a stand alone fic (one of my reviewers asked about that but I don't remember which one.) I will try and get the chapters out as fast as possible. Also I'm pretty sure the italics are working now so it should be easier to tell when they're dreaming. 

Chapter 2 twice as long as the last chapter so I hope everyone enjoys it.

Okay I've added squigglies to separate points of view I hope it makes it easier to read.

Chapter 2:

Awakening

The Senshi gathered at Usagi's house. Luna refused to tell them anything until everyone arrived.

Venus and Mars sat on the bed; Jupiter on the windowsill and Mercury paced back and forth.

"So what happened?" Ami asked.

Luna stood on the dresser and looked down. "I don't know. Usagi has been having nightmares for the past week. Tonight was one of the worst; she was thrashing about so much I thought that she had might hurt herself. I was about to wake her up when she calmed suddenly, she didn't move for the next half-hour so I thought it was okay to go to sleep." 

__

"Oh, this is all my fault." Luna thought guiltily. _"If I had stayed awake then she never would've disappeared."_

"A bright light filled the room and then vanished. Usagi was still in her bed when the light appeared, but I'm pretty sure she vanished when it.... Rei what are you doing?"

The senshi of Mars was kneeling on the floor lifting up the corner of the bedspread. "If Usagi was scared, then the odango atama is probably hiding under her bed. That's what she does at my house during a thunderstorm."

Luna was about to deny this, but then thought about it carefully. Yes, Usagi could definitely be under the bed. All that worry wasted for nothing.

"Well is she there?" Minako asked peering over the edge.

Rei came out from under the bed, her face ashen. "She's gone."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru rested his arms on the edge of the balcony, his hands cradling a cup of tea. He gazed up at the moon and disinterestedly traced the outline of a rabbit. 

"This isn't working." He thought, the only reason he had made the tea and come out here was so that he could relax and fall asleep.

Disgusted he poured the tea out, hoping that no one was standing on the street below. "I need to do something; I can't stay up all night. Sighing he tugged the edges of his robe closer together and went back inside.

His room was lit by the dim light of the full moon. Mamoru made the way to his bed with a minimum of bumping. He lay down and gazed at the ceiling waiting for sleep to come.

__

~~~~~~

"How could you?" A voice accused. "You promised me that you would search for the ginzuishou."

Mamoru turned towards the indistinct shape that was forming in the mist.

"I have been searching." He explained. "I already have two of the nijizuishou."

"You have two of the crystals but you almost let my heartsister die. Why did you wait so long to transform?"

Mamoru blanched knowing that the Princess was referring to the last youma battle. 

The last transformation had occurred while he was in the middle of taking a test. He'd felt Sailor Moon transform and a rose had appeared in his hand. 

"Not now." Mamoru thought as he hid the rose away before the ever-questing eyes of the teacher could spot it. He tried to suppress the transformation until he could finish his test. Another rose appeared and he was assaulted by a sharp jab of _pain. _Agony assaulted his nerves.

Not caring, only wanting to stop the pain. Mamoru picked up his test, staggered to the front of the room, gave the test to an openly gaping professor and ran out to the hall.

Luckily the corridor was deserted; he gripped the rose and transformed, then hurried to join the fight.

He had almost arrived too late, three of the Senshi were unconscious and Sailor Moon was being held by the youma. Sailor Jupiter was trying to aim for the youma but couldn't hit it with her attack because Sailor Moon was in the way.

Tuxedo Kamen threw a rose to distract the youma. It had let go of Sailor Moon pitching her backwards. Jupiter quickly took advantage of the distraction aiming her Supreme Thunder at the youma and hitting it head on.

"Now Sailor Moon."

Sailor Moon nodded at Tuxedo Kamen, threw her tiara and dusted the youma.

__

~~~~~~

"That's how you'd like to remember it." The disembodied voice came from every direction echoing back on itself. "We both know that's not what happened. You're just fooling yourself."

Tuxedo Kamen looked at the princess, she had begun to fade.

"Come, come Serenity." The voice admonished. A form began to materialize out of the mist. It was a man sheathed in shadows. "Princess, I have something that you want." The figure lifted a hand and a silver crystal appeared, it levitated a few inches above the outstretched hand.

"The ginzuishou." Mamoru whispered. He glanced at the princess. "Why isn't she doing anything?"

"She must do my bidding." The voice informed him. "She can't leave until I give her permission."

Tuxedo Kamen gripped a rose prepared to throw it at this new adversary.

"Foolish, Endymion. I will not let you best me twice. Watch what truly happened this evening."

Tuxedo Kamen started reliving the battle, only this time he arrived too late. He watched on horrified as the youma sucked the lifeforce out of Sailor Moon. Tears streaming down her face Sailor Jupiter hit the youma with her strongest attack. It died quickly, but it was too late. Jupiter turned towards Tuxedo Kamen with accusing eyes.

The setting vanished; the Princess had fallen to her knees and was weeping openly.

Tuxedo Kamen knelt besides her enfolding her with his arms. He tried to comfort her, but her tears wouldn't go away. 

"Will you admit defeat Serenity?"

Serenity and Endymion glanced up into the eyes of death. "I will never give up." Serenity whispered. 

"Then watch your dreams die." The ginzuishou began glowing a deep red. It floated higher and higher and then dropped. It hit the ground and shattered.

"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!" A voice screamed loudly.

~~~~~

Mamoru's eyes snapped opened and he sat up quickly. He could've sworn... He looked around the bedroom. No it was impossible. "You have odango's on the brain." He thought as he lied back down and tried to fall asleep again.

Usagi prostrated herself on the floor clenching her mouth closed tightly. "This is not happening." She thought. "I'm not in the bedroom of one of the hottest guys in Tokyo. I am..."

The bed creaked as Mamoru sat up again. Usagi yeeped her eyes searching the room frantically.

"I've got to hide, gotta hide. Oh yes!!!" Hastily she pulled herself under the bed, only to find it already packed. 

"What does he do keep his whole apartment under here?" Usagi whispered to herself.

A pair of feet appeared only inches from her face. Usagi shut her eyes and tried to pull back as far as possible. She knew he wasn't wearing a top, she'd been snuggled against a very warm, very muscular and most definitely _bare _chest. It looked like he wasn't wearing bottoms either.

Mamoru reached for his robe, but decided against it. "There's no one here to see me." He reasoned.

"Daddy is gonna _kill_ me." Usagi had never seen a nude male before. Well there was Shingo, but he had been a baby so it didn't count.

"Wait a minute." Usagi thought opening her eyes. "No one will ever find out about this. If I'm here I might as well enjoy the view." She watched avidly as more and more skin was revealed.

"_SHIMATTA_...that baka just has to wear boxers." She wailed to herself, then grinned eagerly. "I see London I see France I see Mamor...Nuh uh." She couldn't call him Mamoru after this; she had to have a special name. "hmmmmm...I see London I see France. I see Mamo-chan's underpants." She giggled to herself quietly. She'd never tell anyone about this, but Ohhh was she glad it was happening.

Mamo-chan's boxers were kinda cute black silk embroidered with blood-red roses.

Mamoru stopped at the entrance to his bedroom. Had someone giggled? "I must be going crazy." He thought as he left the room and went to the kitchen.

Usagi crept out from under the bed and looked around, she had to get out of here before Mamoru saw her.

Wait a sec... Something was pulling her pajama top... my brooch she thought grabbing it quickly. Then she looked at a sliding glass door that led to a balcony. She'd just come up with her escape plan.

Usagi crawled to the sliding doors, glancing over her shoulders every few seconds to make sure that Mamo-chan didn't come in. She opened the doors and stepped out into the cool night air. Shivering violently she put her hand to her brooch and said. "Moon Prism Power." A dazzling display of lights illuminated the surrounding buildings. When they were gone Sailor Moon stood on the deserted balcony.

~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru set his tea down as he felt an all too familiar twinge. A rose appeared in his hand and he had exchanged his boxers for a tuxedo and cape. "No." He whispered, painfully resting his head on his hands. This would make the _sixth _time in the past three days

Usagi looked down at the ground and then up at the roof. The roof was definitely closer. Groaning slightly heavily she crouched down and then leapt up. 

"Oh no." She thought as she grasped for the edge of the roof. She tried to hold on but her fingers were slipping. They let go and she tumbled back towards the ground. 

~~~~~~~~

Mamoru dropped his tea not even noticing the cup breaking. Agony ran along his nerves Sailor Moon was in trouble, close to death. Swearing he turned around and ran to his bedroom. Rooftops were the quickest way anywhere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Usagi." A voice called from the other side of the door. "Honey, are you all right?"

"Hide." Luna whispered using her powers to turn off the lights. "Venus under the covers."

Minako looked at Luna strangely, but did as she commanded. Mako grabbed Artemis and threw him out the window. Then she took a hold of Ami's arm and pulled them both into the closet. Rei stuffed herself back under the bed cursing as springs dug into her sides. 

"Answer her." Luna had hopped onto the bed and was curled up by Mina's ear.

"I'm fine Momma." Venus said trying to get her voice to sound like Usagi's.

The door opened and light poured in from the hall. Mina pulled the covers over her head. "_Don't come in,"_ She thought, "_just stay out in the hall."_

Ikuko entered the darkened room. It had been so noisy, she thought that Usagi had been talking in her sleep again. She was about to turn on the light.

"No." Luna yelled hoarsely.

Ikuko paused and came closer to the bed. "Darling are you all right? You don't sound very good."

"Yes." Mina coughed weakly. "I think I'm getting a sore throat."

"Oh poor dear." Ikuko had sat on the edge of the bed and was rubbing her daughter's forehead. "I'll make some tea for you in the morning. Do you want anything?"

Mina brightened. "I could use a chocolate milkshake. Something cold would make my throat feel a lot better." Luna batted Mina's ear. 

Mina sighed. "Never mind, it just might make me sicker."

Ikuko looked at her daughter amazed. Usagi would never refuse food, especially a milkshake she was most definitely sick. "Go back to sleep dear. I'll make an appointment with the doctor tomorrow."

The Senshi sighed in relief as Ikuko left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sailor Moon windmilled her arms and gasped painfully as she hit a metal rod, she grabbed it quickly and pulled herself up. She glanced at the few feet up to the roof. Sighing she performed a gymnastics feat that she would never be able to repeat in her klutzy Usagi mode.

"I'm never doing this again." She thought once she was safely on the roof. "Next time I'll walk. Anyone who does this is crazy." Sailor Moon quickly oriented herself, then began jumping from roof to roof.

A staccato sound broke the silence of the night air. It sounded like someone...running????

Sailor Moon glanced back, a black form was leaping from building to building coming straight towards her. "Not another youma." Usagi thought looking around, there was no way she could fight a youma alone out in the open. What if she fell off the building? 

"Oh perfect!!!" The next building was covered with air conditioning ducts and exhaust fans. "I can make my stand there." 

Sailor Moon leaped over to the rooftop and hid behind a huge duct waiting. "From now on I'm wearing my communicator even to bed." She definitely could have used the other Senshi's help.

The figure had made it and was coming straight towards her. She stepped away pulled her tiara down and called out. MOON TIARA Mag... Tuxedo Kamen." She gasped dropping the tiara in surprise.

Tuxedo Kamen stopped and looked around quickly. "Where's the youma?" He demanded.

"Th..The youma?" Usagi asked confused.

Mamoru sighed heavily and walked slowly towards the heroine. "Yes Sailor Moon, the youma. The thing that nearly killed you, that made me get out of my nice warm bed and made me come here." With each word he took another step, Usagi rapidly backpedaled. Finally she ran out of roof. Sailor Moon glanced down at the ground wondering if she should jump or face Tuxedo Kamen.

"There isn't a youma. I was practicing my jumping and I missed one of the rooftops. I fell but I managed to grab onto a flagpole and get back onto the roof."

"You What!?!?" 

Sailor Moon looked at his enraged face and decided that jumping was most definitely her best option. She turned swiftly and tried to jump but a pair of firm hands gripped her around the waist. She struggled futilely but the Tuxedo Kamen had hold of her too firmly for her to get loose. Mamoru enwrapped Sailor Moon's arms and waited until she ceased her attack. 

"I'll let you go." He whispered calmly, "but you have to promise not to run away."

Usagi paused and then nodded, the hold on her was loosened until Tuxedo Kamen only had hold of her wrist.

Mamoru glanced around, saw a flat boxy shape and pulled Sailor Moon towards it. He sat her down and then joined her, never loosening his hold on her wrist. Silence reigned.

Tuxedo Kamen sat in disbelief; after the dream he had just had and the prospect of losing her to something so dim-witted. He considered tying her up and taking her back to his apartment until he could find one of the other Senshi to babysit her.

"You are one of the protectors of Tokyo. You shouldn't be jumping around on rooftops if you've never done it before."

"_Like I had a choice_." Usagi thought bitterly. 

"If you're going to practice," Tuxedo Kamen continued, "then you'll have to do it during the day and make sure one of the other Senshi is with you. I can't be there every time to save you."

"Why do you then? Sailor Moon demanded. Usagi had been through enough tonight and she didn't need another Mother Hen. Luna was bad enough. _"Oh no!"_ She'd though alarmed, she'd forgotten all about Luna. _"What is she going to say? What should I tell her? Oh kami..._

"Because I have no choice." Tuxedo Kamen answered her quietly unaware that she wasn't even listening. "The princess gives me no choice."

__

"Woh...PRINCESS." That word cut through Usagi's ramblings. "You know about the Princess?" Sailor Moon was amazed.

Tuxedo Kamen looked up at her words. Finally here was someone who could answer his questions. But how did the Senshi know about her. "Do you know who she is? Where is she? How are you and the Senshi connected to her?"

Sailor Moon considered her answer carefully, she refused to tell him that she didn't know. "We're her protectors and I'm not telling you where she is. I don't even know who you are.

Mamoru sighed. Maybe if he told her about his dreams, she'd tell him about the princess. "Ever since I was little the princess has come to me in my dreams asking me to find the ginzuishou. When I was younger I was in an accident, I don't remember anything about my parents. If I find the crystals then I might be able to regain my memories."

"I wish I could help you." Usagi admitted as she stood up and backed up slowly. She really did want to help, but if she didn't get home before sunrise Luna would kill her. She turned and jumped away.

Mamoru sat silently watching as she left. For some reason he knew that she would get home safely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ami and Mako came out of the closet. Rei pulled herself out from under the bed. "Mina, next time go easy on the dessert. You almost squished me." Without Usagi around Rei had to take her anger out on _someone_ and Minako was the best target.

"Girls, stop bickering. We need to find Usagi."

The window opened and an enraged Artemis entered. His fur was puffed and he made his way straight towards Makoto. 

"I'll search downtown." Jupiter called as she avoided Artemis' claws and leapt out the window.

Luna watched her go. "Settle down Artemis." She admonished.

"Settle down!" Artemis hissed. "Mako _THREW_ me out the window."

"Well there wasn't time to think. We can deal with it later. Right now we need to look for Usagi. If you're not going to help then I'm sure someone else will be happy to throw you out again."

Artemis unarched his back and sat down huffily.

"Mercury." Luna continued pretending that Artemis wasn't even in the room. "Is there any chance that Usagi is still in Tokyo?"

"Yes." Mercury answered. "There wasn't enough power in the teleportation for her to have gotten very far. The best thing would be for us to search, there's an eighty- percent probability that we'll find her."

Mercury divided the remaining Senshi and gave them specific areas to search in. They left promising to contact Luna if they found anything.

Artemis watched them leave and then looked at Luna. "Do you want me to help you search?"

Luna shook her head. "I'll stay here. Usagi might find her own way home and we have to have someone coordinate the search. Would you please go and look?"

Artemis nodded and then left out the open window.

Luna stood there and looked up at the moon. "Selene. Please help Usagi get home safely."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi had finally managed to get down off the skyscrapers and was only a few blocks from her home. _"Never again, never ever again." _She had been repeating this mantra ever since she'd left Tuxedo Kamen. _"I will walk. I will CRAWL!!! But I am never going to get back onto a roof that high ever again."_

She was finally at her back door. Sailor Moon looked up at her bedroom window and shook slightly. She'd had enough heights for one night. Usagi detransformed and very quietly opened the back door. She crept through the kitchen and up the stairs.

Luna sat up as the door opened. If Usagi's mother came in and found her daughter missing...

Usagi shut the door silently and shuffled slowly to her bed. _"Luna didn't notice I'm gone." _

She thought relieved. _"At least ONE thing is going my way tonight."_

Luna watched in amazement as Usagi entered the room and made her way to the bed. The shock left her and she cried out, almost yelling.

"USAGI!!! Where under the moon have you been?"

Usagi groaned softly as she pulled the covers over her head. _"I need a good story, but what will she believe."_ Usagi considered the possibilities. `Well I blacked out and when I woke up I was protecting someone from a youma. I think it might be a new power.' _"Yeah right, that would never happen."_

Well since she couldn't tell Luna the truth, she'd just tell her a very small white lie.

"I..I don't know Luna." She admitted. "The last thing I remember I was sleeping in my bed, but then I woke up and I was in a strange part of downtown Tokyo. Luckily I had my brooch, so I transformed and came home."

__

"Oh please, please, please believe that."

"That's all right Usagi, I understand."

__

"She bought it." Usagi thought amazed, this definitely was her day.

"It wasn't really your fault. Someone transported you away."

"Mmm..hmmm..." Usagi answered as she pulled her covers up and fell asleep.

Luna continued on for a few more minutes. "We'll have to contact the other Senshi." She glanced at Usagi and noticed that her chest was rising and falling rythmatically. Luna smiled, tugged the edges of the blanket and tucked them around the sleeping girl.

She jumped to the dresser opened the communicator and told them that Usagi had been found, but wasn't to be disturbed until tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay that's the end of Chapter 2. . In your reviews let me know if you like how I switched back and forth between Mamoru's apartment and Usagi's house. Also tell me if you liked Chapter 1 or 2 better. Chapter 3 is entitled _"Kenji gets a gun"_ and I promise it will be more humorous then this one. This chapter was more on the serious side, but it still had its moments. 

To avoid any flames there _will_, I repeat there _WILL_ be a chapter, maybe even two, devoted to Mamoru's reaction when he finds Usagi in his bed after she teleports again. You're just going to have to wait.

Ja' ne

Analla


	3. Kenji gets a gun

Hey Minna,

Here's Chapter 3. Sorry it took so long, but I haven't had time between school and work and I need at least 6 hours of sleep each night. (No that time is not negotiable I will not give up my sleep time, so don't even try it.) I'm posting Chapter 3 now and I'll have Chapter 4 done _and posted _in the next 24 hours.

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed. Especially Lady Aisheteru (she reviewed twice ;-) and also 

Princess Nat who answered all my questions from the end of chapter 2.

And a big hooray for Candace who was review #40 and who I decided to include because I didn't think I'd get 40 reviews before Chap. 3 was posted, and she reviewed just as I was about to post it.

Candace here's Chap. 3 enjoy.

Anything else?

Oh yeah. To the person who e-mailed me and reminded me that I didn't include a disclaimer for Chapter 2, thank you very much. I just needed another reminder that I DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON (there's your disclaimer people.)

Actually I did have a very good reason. It was Chiba-Usa's turn to read the disclaimer and it was past her bedtime. You DO NOT want to wake her up after her parents spent all night trying to get her to sleep. (Believe me, it would have been roasted Analla for dinner)

Also since it was Sailor Moon's turn to read the disclaimer, she gets excused.

(She's gets even madder if you disturb her sleep.)

Okay peeps, enjoy the story. And if you want to be e-mailed when the next chapter comes out just let me know. (Another reviewer asked about this.) I'll be happy to e-mail you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Someone was gently prodding Usagi. `"Leave me alone, Luna." Usagi mumbled batting the area where she was being poked. The jabbing continued. Usagi turned her face to the wall and covered herself with her blanket. "Let me have five more minutes Luna. You promised last night that I could sleep in."

Ikuko glanced down at her enshrouded daughter. _"Talking to a CAT."_ She thought worriedly, why under the sun was her daughter making bargains with a feline.

Ikuko had been concerned about Usagi's sore throat; it had sounded very scratchy the night before. She had made her daughter a pot of Obi-san's special tea and brought it upstairs. Ikuko set the tea tray down on Usagi's dresser.

"Usagi, you need to wake up. I brought you something for your throat."

"Lu...MOM!" Usagi sat up surprised. What was her mom doing here it was still dark outside. Usagi glanced at her clock...

__

"OH NO!!!" Usagi cringed backing against the wall. _"What is the tea tray doing in my room? I am **NOT **drinking that tea."_

Obi-san's tea was infamous in the Tsukino household, Ikuko made it when anyone was ill. She swore that it could cure any illness. The only problem was that its main ingredient was either dirt or cayenne pepper. 

"Mama, Is Shingo sick?" Lame yeah, but it was the only excuse that Usagi could come up with that sounded semi-plausible to her frightened mind.

"No dear." Ikuko answered pouring a cup of tea. "I made Obi-san's tea for you. Your sore throat didn't sound very good last night."

"Last night." Usagi answered weakly throwing a glance at Luna; that kitty had a LOT of explaining to do. "It wasn't that bad, my throat isn't sore anymore."

Ikuko held the back of her palm to Usagi's forehead. "You still have a slight fever. Drink the tea and then go back to bed."

"Mom." Usagi argued. "I'm not sick. I feel fine enough to go to school."

Ikuko sighed heavily, Usagi was disagreeable and very cranky. A sure sign of sickness.

"Fine dear, you may go to school." 

Usagi sighed in relief.

"But you have to have a cup of tea before you leave."

Usagi hung her head in defeat, her mother wasn't going to let her out of the house without her drinking some of the tea. _"Maybe I should stay home."_ She considered it and then shook her head slightly. If she stayed home then she was likely to end up drinking a whole pot instead of one cup.

Ikuko handed the delicate cup to her daughter.

Usagi took it reluctantly trying not to breathe through her nose. The tea smelled like a cross between rotten eggs and a desiccated corpse. Usagi drank a small slip, her stomach reacted violently., her face contorted.

Ikuko watched her daughter's reaction. "Is it too cold?" She asked. "I can pour you another cup."

"No." Usagi managed to say. "It's fine."

Usagi set her cup down on the dresser. She reached for the cat that had been curled against her head during the night and had watched the unfolding scene avidly. Usagi picked Luna up, petted her, and then hugged her closely to her chest. 

"You are going to drink that tea Luna." Usagi whispered very quietly so that her mother couldn't hear. "If you don't I will tell everyone in Juuban that I'm Sailor Moon."

Luna looked up at Usagi, wondering how serious she was. The look of determination on the heroine's face told Luna that she was _very_ serious. _"Oh well, how bad can a cup of tea be?" _

Usagi set Luna down in her lap and then took the cup from the dresser. 

"Mama, could you open my window slightly. I need some fresh air."

Ikuko nodded turning and taking a few steps towards the window. 

Usagi glared at Luna. Luna stood up and dipped her nose in the tea. The taste was, it was horrid. The black cat wished she had hands so she could cover her mouth and pinch her nose. "Do I have to?" Luna whispered looking up at Usagi.

"Now." The leader of the Senshi commanded. Usagi looked at her mother struggling with the window lock. It had been sticking for the past few nights, a fact that had annoyed Usagi before, but now she looked at it as a gift from the gods.

Luna lapped the tea quickly. 

"There." Ikuko smiled as she managed to wrestle the window open a few inches. She turned back towards her daughter. Usagi quickly pulled the cup away from Luna and pressed it to her lips pretending to drink.

"All done." Usagi said setting the cup back on the tea tray. 

Ikuko glanced at the cup, it had only a sip or two in it. "I knew you could do it. Lie back down dear and I'll wake you up for school."

Usagi nodded relieved. She yawned heavily as she lay back down and pulled her covers up to her chin. She fell asleep before her mother even left the room.

As soon as the door was shut, Luna started complaining. "I will NEVER drink anything like that again." Usagi opened one eye looking at her cat. "Mmmhmm." She said sleepily, not truly awake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi woke up an hour later. "7:30." She looked at her clock indignantly. "I was up most of the night." She complained. "Why won't my body let me sleep in?"

She had tried to get comfortable for the past five minutes, but it had been a useless battle. Her body wouldn't let her fall back to sleep. 

__

"Well as long as I'm up." Usagi looked at Luna. _"I believe someone owes me an explanation."_

"Time to get up Luna." Usagi announced dumping the cat off the bed. 

Luna tumbled from the bed landing in a tangle of feet. Her eyes shot open and she glared up at Usagi. "What was that for?" She asked indignantly.

"That was for whatever happened last night to convince my mother I was sick." Usagi knelt down and picked up her guardian. "And you're going to tell me everything that happened."

Usagi put Luna back on the bed and then joined her sitting Indian style.

Luna licked her paw, pretending to be unconcerned with Usagi. "Fine I'll tell you, but I will _never_ drink that tea again. You can tell the entire world you're Sailor Moon, and I still won't do it."

Usagi nodded her agreement and then sat back to listen.

"I called the Scouts over to help search for you." Luna began, she explained the rest of the story.

At the mention of Rei thinking she had hid under the bed. Usagi grinned wickedly. _"If only she knew."_

Luna paused . "Are you all right?"  
"I'm fine."

Luna continued. "Then your mother came in...."

"Mina refused a WHAT???"Usagi was offended, she would never turn down a chocolate milkshake. _"NO wonder Mom thought I was sick."_

Luna glared at Usagi. "If you interrupt me again, I won't finish telling you what happened."

Usagi nodded her agreement and composed her face so it looked very serious. "After your mother left, Artemis came back in, he was a bit perturbed that Jupiter through him out the window."

__

"I can just bet." Usagi thought faking a cough so Luna wouldn't know she was laughing.

Luna glared at Usagi, she couldn't blame Usagi for interrupting because she wasn't talking. She decided to finish quickly. "Well the rest of the Senshi went to search for you and I waited until you came home."

__

"There." Luna thought satisfied. _"I didn't even mention that I spent the rest of the evening wondering what sort of danger she was in. Maybe dead. Only that I was calm, cool, and collected waiting for her return."_

Usagi smiled as Luna finished, then she hugged Luna tightly. "Thank you." Usagi whispered, knowing how much Luna _had_ worried about her and how very grateful she was for it. Luna might be a pain sometimes, but she was Usagi's second mother.

Both Luna and Usagi were silent for a few moments.

Then Usagi glanced at the clock. "OH I'M GOING TO BE LATE!!!" Hurricane Usagi dropped Luna and hurried to get ready for school.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

"LATE! I'm so late. I get up three hours before I'm supposed to. Drink this awful tea and I'm still...."

OOOMPH!

Usagi had crashed into somebody. Firm hands gripped her forearm to keep her from falling to the ground.

"Gomen nasai." She apologized. "I didn't mean to..." Usagi paused as she glanced at the arms of her captor. _"OH NO!_ _Not HIM. Please let there be someone else who owns a jacket like his."_

"Watch it Odango Atama. Are you trying to qualify for a marathon? If so you left scared everyone away with your wailing."

Usagi looked up into Mamoru's eyes everything else forgotten as she remembered the previous night. Usagi blushed slightly. Mamoru stared back at her hungrily, hypnotized by her gaze. Usagi realized that they weren't saying anything, she also noticed something akin to passion in her Mamo-chan's eyes.

__

"Did he see me last night?" She wondered, fear creeping into her eyes. _"Does he know I'm Sailor Moon? What if he..."_

Mamoru tightened his grip as Usagi eyes rolled back and her body went limp.

__

"What in the world?" Mamoru thought. _"Why did she faint?"_ He swiveled his head looking for a place...

__

"Perfect." There was a bench a few feet away. He walked to it swiftly and put down his precious bundle, removing his jacket to cushion her head. _"She needs a doctor, maybe I should carry..."_

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO USAGI?" Makoto yelled running across the street. 

She and Ami had met at school and come looking for their leader, not wanting to wait for the Senshi meeting to hear what had happened last night. They had seen Usagi bump into Mamoru. Ami was trying to calm Mako down, but Makoto had seen one thing Ami hadn't. Mako had seen a look of pure fear on Usagi's face. Fear on the face of someone who would face down youmas without pause. Someone who regularly risked her life to make sure that Tokyo was safe. 

If Usagi was afraid of someone then she had a very good reason, if it was bad enough to cause her to _faint._ Makoto wouldn't let anyone hurt her friends, it looked like Mamoru Chiba needed to be taught that lesson.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I didn't do anything." Mamoru defended himself moving away from the enraged Makoto. Ami finally caught up to Mako, she paused breathing heavily.

"Why did Usagi faint?" She asked calmly, interposing herself between Mamoru and Makoto.

"I don't know." Mamoru brushed back a lock of Usagi's hair. "I was walking along, she bumped into me, and then fainted."

"Yeah right." Mako said clenching her fists, trying to get around Ami. 

"MAKOTO!" Ami said harshly, "I need to examine Usagi and I know you don't want to distract me."

"Fine." Mako snapped relaxing her hands. She could wait until later when there were no witnesses.

Ami knelt down pushing Mamoru away. He was about to protest, but one look at Makoto convinced him not too.

__

"Besides," he thought, "_Ami's mom is a doctor, so Ami probably knows what to do."_

Neither Makoto nor Mamoru said a word as Ami checked Usagi's pulse, her breathing rate, or when she lifted Usagi's eyelid to glance at the pupil.

Ami surreptitiously used her computer to scan Usagi. _"She's exhausted. The energy for the teleport came from her, and she wasn't transformed._" There was also something else, but there wasn't enough information to determine what it was.

"It's not his fault she fainted Mako." Mako relaxed slightly at this statement.

"It was last night." Ami continued looking at Makoto asking silently if she understood. Mako nodded slightly.

"What happened last night?" Mamoru demanded.

"Nothing." Both Senshi answered simultaneously.

"We need to get her home." Ami said trying to distract Mamoru from asking any more questions.

"Fine." Mako said stepping forward to pick Usagi up. She was too late because Mamoru had already retrieved her.

Makoto gripped his arm. "I can take her home."

Mamoru was silent, but his visage clearly said that he would not let her carry Usagi.

Ami sighed. **"**_Between these two I'll be lucky to get Usagi moved three feet."_

"You guys it doesn't matter who carries her. Let's just get her home." Ami said this as she began walking away leaving them no choice but to follow.

Makoto watched as Ami walked down the street, as soon as Ami was far enough away Mako turned to Mamoru.

"Drop her and die."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They managed to get Usagi home without any more threats or shedding of blood. Although Mamoru knew that Mako had been shooting daggers at him the entire way there. 

Ami rang the doorbell and then stepped back.

Ikuko was busy making cookies, she glanced at her husband who was engrossed by his newspaper. Sighing Ikuko dusted flour from her hands and went to answer the door.

It was two of Usagi's friends and a young man holding....

"USAGI!" She gasped. "What happened? Did she bump her head?"  
"She fainted." Ami said coming into the house followed by the others. "We really should put her in bed."

Ikuko nodded weakly and pointed towards the stairs.

Mamoru pulled Usagi tightly against him and then ascended the stairs.

Kenji looked up from his paper at his wife's scream. When she wanted to she could match Usagi decibel for decibel. He turned and looked towards the entryway, just in time to see a **_strange man_** carrying _his daughter_ up the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kenji dropped his paper and sprinted up the stairs only to be met by his wife waiting for him at the top. 

Ikuko smiled as she looked at her husband. "Kenji I need you to go to the store for a few things."

Ikuko knew how protective her husband could be when it came to Usagi and she was determined that he wouldn't even get a chance to grill the nice boy who had carried their daughter home. 

"What about Usagi?" Kenji asked, trying to figure out a way around his wife.

Ikuko walked down the stairs herding Kenji like a lost sheep. "She's fine. Her friends are in there to watch over her.. I need you to go get me a few things for when she wakes up."

Before Kenji knew it he was on his way to the store with a list in hand and he hadn't even seen another glimpse of that boy.

He slammed the brakes as he looked across the street seeing the perfect store. 

A gun shop. Just what he needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ikuko smiled as Kenji pulled away. _"One disaster averted."_ She thought quietly, now all she had to do was get Usagi's rescuer out of the house before her husband returned. She went upstairs and entered Usagi's room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Makoto opened the door for Mamoru, Luna sat up as they entered the room.

__

"Perfect." Mako thought as soon as she saw Luna. She hurried across the room and picked Luna up.

"What happened?' The black cat whispered.

"That guy frightened Usagi and made her faint."

"WHAT!?" Luna yelled infuriated. Luckily Mamoru didn't notice because he was busy removing Usagi's shoes.

Mamoru gasped in pain stepping backwards as 16 pinpricks dug into his back and held.

"Nani?" He cried as he turned his head to see what was trying to burrow into his back.

"Mako." Ami cried at the same time realizing that Makoto had to have told Luna _something_ for her to behave that way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What is going on?" Ikuko demanded as she entered the room. Mamoru was backed into a corner with an enraged Luna stalking him. While Ami had backed Mako into another corner, her expression mirroring Luna's.

"Get this cat away from me." Mamoru dodged Luna's claws. "What does he have? Rabies?"

"No of course not." Ikuko said as she picked Luna up and stroked her calmly. "_She"_ Ikuko emphasized the word, for some reason she wanted the young man to know that Luna was a girl. "is very possessive of Usagi, I'm sure you understand."

__

"Yeah right!" Mamoru thought as he glanced at the attack kitty. _"She's not possessive, she's Cerberus in disguise."_ The cat continued to glare at him from Ikuko's arms. _"How can a cat look like that?"_ Luna looked intelligent, her facial features more human then feline. _"Maybe Makoto's the devil and she ordered her minion to attack me."_

"Sure" Mamoru said realizing that Usagi's mom was expecting an answer. 

"Listen, can I come back later when the cat's not around. Just to make sure odan.... I mean Usagi is okay?"

"Of course." Ikuko nodded smiling. She led Mamoru out the door, threw Luna into the room and shut the door firmly before the cat could even think of escaping.

~~~~~

Luna turned to the two Senshi. Ami still had Makoto cornered refusing to let her move. Normally Mako could've overpowered Ami and escaped, but something told her that just this once the Senshi of Mercury could probably hold her own despite her diminutive size.

"What did you tell Luna?" Ami demanded.

"She told me that ruffian frightened Usagi and made her faint." Luna informed her.

Ami glared at Mako then turned at looked at Luna. "It wasn't his fault, Usagi fainted because she powered the teleport. She's just exhausted."

A slight moan came from the bed. Everyone looked at Usagi. She was sitting up clutching her head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi searched her bedroom. "Where's Mamo..." _"Wait, wrong question."_ Her inner voice chided.

She quickly changed her question not wanting the others to know that she was concerned about Mamo-chan.

"How did I get home?"

Ami went to Usagi's bed and pushed her back down. "You need to rest Usagi, you fainted on the way to school and Mamoru-san carried you home."

"Where is he?" Usagi asked, she couldn't resist the temptation, she had to know where he was.

"He left after Luna attacked him." Makoto said before Ami could answer.

"WHAT?" Usagi sat up scowling at Luna.

"Jupiter told me that he had hurt you." Luna defended herself. "If I had known he was your rescuer I would have treated him differently."

Usagi watched her overprotective friend and a smile came to her face. If Makoto thought anyone was hurting her friends, then she would defend them, she was fiercely loyal. Usagi couldn't be mad at her for that, her heart wouldn't let her.

"Luna, Ami. I need to speak with Makoto alone."

Luna was about to protest, but Ami picked her up and carried the feline out of the room. 

Makoto had moved closer to the bed, her head down. "I'm sorry Usagi." She said sheepishly. "I thought that he had hurt you."

"I know." Usagi answered softly. "It wasn't his fault though, I've been having nightmares lately and this morning reminded me of one. Plus I didn't get very much sleep last night, so I was tired."

Makoto nodded.

"Will you get my homework for me?"

"Sure." Mako replied eagerly. "I'll get it for all your classes and Ami can help tutor you."

Usagi's expression changed at the word tutor, she had only wanted to distract Makoto. It was too late to call her back now, Mako had already left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ami came in a few moments later.

"Where's Luna?" Usagi asked.

At this Ami smiled and a giggle escaped. "Your mother locked her in the bathroom, she's not going to let her out until a veterinarian has examined her."

Usagi's eyes went wide, Luna _hated_ going to the vet. "She's not going to forgive Makoto or Mamoru for a very long time."

Ami shook her head and then examined Usagi carefully, she didn't know how she was going to broach this next subject. But it was necessary if she was going to find out what had truly happened to Usagi. Ami had told Makoto a partial lie. Usagi had been drained from the teleport, but that hadn't made her faint, it was something else. 

Ami found a chair and sat by Usagi's bedside. She pulled her computer out to monitor Usagi. 

"Tell me about your nightmares."

Usagi reacted violently. "NO! I don't want to remember them. Everyone dies."

"If you don't tell me what happened, then how can we stop it."

"YOU MEAN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN!" Usagi yelled. _"Nuhuh!!!"_ She thought. _"There is NO way that I am going to go through that again."_

"Will I transport to the same place I did last night?" She asked quietly. 

"Probably." Ami answered. "Where did you go?" 

"I..it..." Usagi glanced at Ami. "Do you promise not to tell anyone, not even the other senshi or Luna?"  
_"Most especially Luna." _Usagi thought, Mamo-chan already had enough bad points. If Luna found out. _"Well then Rei would have an eunuch for a boyfriend."_

"REI!" Usagi had forgotten all about her, especially that she was Mamo-chan's... _"No he..., he has to be Mamoru I can't steal him away. Even if I want to, he probably wouldn't have me anyway."_

Ami watched as Usagi face became crestfallen. "I promise not to tell Usagi. Where were you?"

"In Mamoru Chiba's apartment." Usagi muttered hiding her face in her hands.

For once Ami's calm demeanor was shattered. "In Mamoru-san's apartment? Is he the one you dreamt about?"

"WHAT?" Usagi looked up. "No I dreamt about Tuxedo Kamen." Her voice became dreamy. "He saved me, we danced, and then he turned into my prince."

Ami inputted the data into her computer. "Describe the entire dream to me, from the very beginning."

Usagi paled visibly, her voice shook as she began. "_Death! _Everyone I loved died..."

It took Usagi over an hour to describe the dream sequence. Her mother had peeked in once during the explanation, but left when she realized she saw her daughter's face. Whatever was happening, Ikuko knew that Usagi had to face it without her help.

By the end tears were pouring down Usagi and Ami's faces. Ami finished entering the information and then let her computer work through all the variables. There was only one possible solution.

"Usagi do you like Mamoru?" Ami blushed. "I mean do you like him, maybe as much as you do Tuxedo Kamen?"

Usagi wanted to lie and say no, but the little imp in her mind made her admit. "Yeah, kinda."

Ami smiled. "That's your problem. In the very end when you wished to be with Tuxedo Kamen, your brain attempted to make it possible. We don't know all of your powers yet, but I know that you have a lot of potential energy. Your brain converted it into kinetic energy and initiated the teleport. Since you're unaware of Tuxedo Kamen's correct identity your hypothalamus found a substitute."

"Huh...," was all Usagi said, her eyes had glazed over halfway through Ami's explanation.

"You wished for something to happen and your brain tried to do it, but since you don't know who Tuxedo Kamen is, your brain used Mamoru in his place and sent you to his apartment.

"You mean I'll teleport to that baka's apartment every night unless I find out who Tuxedo Kamen is." Usagi wailed.

Ami nodded.

__

"Life isn't fair." Usagi thought_. "It really isn't fair. If I'm going to be granted wishes why can't I have a king-size chocolate milkshake."_

"Is there anything else I need to know." Usagi grumbled.

"Yes, but we'll need Luna to hear it as well. Except for the first thing, whatever you do don't think about Tuxedo Kamen or Mamoru before you go to bed."

Usagi moaned as Ami left the room to get Luna."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So Usagi should constantly wear her communicator, shouldn't transform into Sailor Moon unless absolutely necessary, and I should wake her up every hour and at the first sign of a nightmare." Luna repeated Mercury's instructions.

"That's right Luna. Also you should probably ask Artemis over here so you can each take turns sleeping."

Usagi listened as Ami described the torture session. "What if I can't get back to sleep?" She wailed. "I won't do it."

Luna turned and glared at her charge. "You WILL do it." Luna informed her. "And if you can't get back to sleep then you won't be able to teleport."

Ami had told Luna that Usagi had become so scared from her nightmares that her body had tried to get away from them. Combined with her powers as a Senshi, it became a mini Sailor teleport.

"Fine, but I'm going to go to bed right now."

Ami left and Luna settled down to sleep on Usagi's chest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kenji stepped back and examined the newest _"_decoration" in the living room. It easily drew the eye and sent exactly the right message.

__

"I should have bought this two years ago when Usagi started...umm...blooming."

"KENJI!!!" Ikuko's outraged voice interrupted his reverie. "WHAT is a GUN doing hanging over our fireplace."

Kenji turned to his wife and smiled as he brought her close and kissed her lightly. "It's not a gun dear it's rifle."

"I don't care what it's called. I refuse to let you have a gun in the house. What if Sammy or Usagi shot themselves?"

"Don't worry there aren't any bullets. I bought it in case I wanted to go hunting."

Ikuko shook her head at her husband's reasoning. "You don't hunt dear." She reminded him, slightly appeased when he mentioned there wasn't any bullets.

Kenji stared at the rifle and then thought of the young man who had carried his daughter upstairs. The one who had looked _much_ to old for her. The boy that just might hurt her.

"Don't worry I'll only do it if it's necessary."

Ikuko left the room confused by what her husband said.

Kenji looked back up at the gun. _"It definitely sends the right message."_

"Touch my daughter and I'll blow your brains out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know I titled this "Kenji gets a gun" then it doesn't even turn out a very big part of the plot. Just wait till tomorrow.

Let me know what ya think. E-mail or review.


	4. Roses

Hey everyone, here's Chapter 4 as promised. Sorry it took more than a day, but I had a personal crisis I had to deal with. My friend is going through a horrendous break-up. Unfortunately she's on the other side of the country so I'm running up a huge phone bill trying to help her deal with it.

Anyways back to the story. It's shorter than usual, if you want me to expand on it let me know.

Goddess Moon I'm working on a cute little fic for you (Hey you guys, she's suffering through midterms, she needs a break. Anyways it should help to relieve the tedium for you. Look for it Tuesday or Wednesday)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 3 and to everyone else who's reading this fic.

Today for the disclaimer we have Sailor Mercury. And this time its going to be done right. She told me that she'd research it.

**Here she is now.  
Analla looks at the pile of papers in Ami's hands.

"Uhh...Ami-chan what are all those for?"

Ami peeks her head around the stack and smiles. "These are the forms you need to fill out for a proper disclaimer."

Analla sweatdrops. Then a light bulb flashes over her head.

"Ya know Ami." I say very sweetly (hey, this is how you bribe) "I really need to start working on the next chapter. Would _you_ be willing to fill the papers out? I'll write you a special part if you do."

Ami considers this for a moment. "Could I teleport to Mamoru's bedroom?"

I think very quickly. "That's Usagi's power." I say sighing. "I will make sure you get into Mamoru's bedroom though. next chapter."

"Okay." 

~~~~~

Heh, heh that was almost too easy.

I show Ami into a quiet room and sneak away very quickly.

(26 hours later)

Ami comes out of the room. She spent the whole time filling out the forms, didn't eat didn't sleep, nothing just filled out papers. (A.N. I'm just glad it wasn't me.)

Ami looks around but doesn't see Analla anywhere. In fact the only things she sees are three men and two women dressed in dark suits. (The lawyers were mad I didn't include a disclaimer for Chapter 2, so they're here to make sure that this time it's done right)

"Have you seen Analla?" Ami asks the head lawyer. "I have her disclaimer here."

The lawyer's eyes brighten and he looks at the stack of paper eagerly. "Perfect." He says in a monotone voice. "You may proceed reading."

"READING!" Ami exclaims. "Why do I have to read it?"

"Because disclaimers are always read." The blonde-headed lawyer explains.

Ami looks at the stack of papers. _"You owe me Analla."_

Ami- "In accordance with the law I have filled out all forms and requisitions disclaiming any and all rights to Sailor Moon.

{YOU guys, if you're not a lawyer you might want to skip to the story} 

"As per written agreement, the party of the first part, the aforementioned Lady Analla, disclaims any and all connections, ties, and any other form of bonding to the character known as Sailor Moon. IN accordance with statute 323.

(Skip ahead 20 pages)

**Ami looks at the lawyers, they're actually _drooling. _She continues.

.... no monetary compensation but for the enjoyment of....

(skip ahead 30 pages)

__

"Aren't you guys bored yet?" Ami thinks.

....will agree not to pursue any legal action....

Ami pauses and looks at the group of lawyers hanging on each word. She sighs and continues on.

...against aforementioned author...

(skip ahead 40 pages)

By this time Ami is hoarse and the lawyers are virtually frozen in place_. "Wait a minute. Frozen."_ Mercury drops the papers. "MERCURY ICE STORM FREEZE." A blast of ice shoots at the lawyers, turning each one into a giant icicle. Mercury kicks the papers and then leaves. *******

Well there's the disclaimer if anyone actually _wants _to read the whole thing go to www.ihavenothingbettertodowithmytime.com or www.loser.com,

Actually the lawyers told me it's the best disclaimer they had ever heard (after they unthawed of course).

They asked if I would have Ami-chan back any time soon (probably not, she was _VERY _mad at me, luckily she was too hoarse to yell.) I told the lawyers that it would probably be during the Silver Millennium when Ami read for me again. They asked when the Silver Millennium was and I told them some time in the future. (Notice how I didn't give them a specific time, luckily they'll all be dead before it happens so I don't have to worry.)

Enjoy the fic

Analla

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru had come from Usagi's house, paced for an hour, looked at the clock, paced for 5 minutes, looked at the clock. It seemed like three o'clock wouldn't ever come. That was the time that Mamoru had decided it would be okay for him to go back. Late enough that he wasn't rushing back, but early enough that he wouldn't go crazy waiting.

__

"Yeah right!" The thought was bitter. _"What if she's hurt? I didn't give her mom my number. What if something happens?"_

[Cool it Chiba, this is odango we're talking about. She probably gets more hurt coming down the stairs, then she did fainting today. You shouldn't worry.]

"Shut up." Mamoru told his inner voice. Something had happened this morning; he'd felt protective, needed. It was comparable to how he felt for Sailor Moon, but slightly different. Sailor Moon could help protect herself. Odango didn't have anybody.

__

"What can I do? What would make her feel better?" Mamoru's mind flitted back to a time when he was sick. He'd been in the hospital, miserable, with no one to visit him. A young girl had given him a rose.

__

"A rose." It was perfect, just the thing to cheer Usagi up.

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Makoto searched the crowd. _"Where's Minako? I need to tell her what happened."_ There a blond head surfaced from the crowd.

"Minako, over here." Makoto called waving.

Minako ran up to her tall friend. "Where have you _been_?" She asked, her voice low but demanding. "Haruna-san was mad when Usagi didn't show up. Then Ami wasn't in second hour. Was there an attack you didn't tell me about?"

Makoto looked around to make sure no one would overhear. "Usagi fainted on the way to school. It was because of her teleportation last night. She was exhausted when she finally came home. We're changing the Senshi meeting to her house. Mercury won't let her get out of bed."

Mina listened to the explanation, her eyes going wide. She grabbed Makoto's arm and pulled her over to a secluded patch of grass. 

"All right, tell me what happened in detail."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"_Too red."_

"Too many thorns."

"PERFECT!" Mamoru thought as he examined the rose, there weren't any imperfections. He placed it in a vase with 11 other roses. He'd spent the day creating roses (Hey being Tuxedo Kamen had a few perks), he'd made so many that his usually neat apartment was littered with them. No surface had been left untouched, it was lucky that he had his shoes on or his feet would've been bloody by now.

Mamoru looked up as the clock chimed three. He picked up the vase, grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rei hurried down the street, Ami had called and left a message saying that the "study session" was cancelled for the day, then said something about Usagi. That was the garbled message that Rei had retrieved from Yuuchirou. 

"Was there anything else?" Rei had asked impatiently.

Yuuchirou had scrunched up his face, thinking carefully. "Actually there was." He admitted.

"Well, what was it?" Rei asked through clenched teeth. _"One...two..three...If he doesn't answer soon, I will kill him."_

"She told me to have a nice day."

Rei had thrown her arms up in frustration and then left for the Crown Arcade. One of the girls would be there after school and she'd be able to find out what was wrong.

Someone brushed by her. Rei was about to snap about how rude they were; when she realized it was Mamoru. She ran after him trying to catch up, but he was going to fast. "Mamoru." She called. Rei dodged fellow pedestrians. _"Man where is he going in such a hurry?"_

~~~

Mamoru paused as his concentration was interrupted. _"Is someone calling my name?"_ He'd been so intent on getting to Usagi's house that he hadn't really paid attention to anything else. He looked behind him, there was Rei coming towards him with a semi-furious expression on her face.

"Uh..hi Rei." He said as soon as she reached him.

"Why didn't you ..." Rei's eyes fell on the roses in her boyfriend's hand.

"Are those for me?" She asked reaching for them eagerly.

"NO!" Mamoru pulled his hand back. _"These are Usako's. No one touches them but her."_

Rei was stunned. "Is something wrong?"

__

"Baka," Mamoru thought. _"It wouldn't hurt to give her just one."_

[Yes it would.] His second voice argued.

"Gomen Rei." He grabbed her hand his eyes asking her for forgiveness. "They're for Usagi, sort of a get well present."

"For Usagi." Rei said faintly, her eyes widening in anger; she hadn't heard the second part. Her brain shut down after hearing that the roses weren't for her.

Mamoru saw the dangerous glint in Rei's eyes. "They're because she's _sick._" He repeated making sure to emphasize the last word.

__

"Sick." The word finally made it to Rei's brain. "Is she in the hospital?"

"No." Mamoru shook his head. _"Although she could be, I don't know. Why didn't I give her mom my number?"_ "I'm going to her house right now. Want to come along?"

Rei nodded and they continued down the street.

__

"Why am I reacting like this?" Mamoru wondered for the umpteenth time that day. _"It's just odango atama, no one special._"

__

[Uh..huh! We really believe that one.]

"Well, she's sick." Mamoru defended. _"She deserves special attention. I'd do it for any of my friends. That's all she is nothing more. I just like her, that's all."_

[Then why'd you call her Usako.]

"I...." He paused. _"Oh just shut up."_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna glanced up as she heard the doorbell ring, moments later she heard two people coming up the stairs. Quickly standing up she batted her paws against the door and meowed loudly warning the Senshi that someone was coming.

~~~~

Mamoru froze at the top of the steps as soon as he heard the meow. _"Oh no, she shouldn't be here."_

He looked down the hall, there standing in front of Usagi's door was the kitty of death.

Mamoru took a step back bumping into Rei.

"Hey watch it." Rei called, grabbing the banister for support. "What's wrong?" 

"The cat." Mamoru whispered as he backed against the wall, glaring at his enemy. "She hates me. I almost had to go to the emergency room."

Rei glanced at Luna who stood watching them, her face regal and serene as a queen's.

"It's just Luna, Mamoru. She wouldn't hurt a thing."

"Just Luna?" Mamoru repeated, looking at Rei in disbelief. "I mean it Rei that cat hates me."

Rei threw up her arms, went down the hall and picked up Luna. "There I'll hold her." She said impatiently. "Is that okay?"  
Mamoru nodded as he came down the hall, making sure to keep at least three feet between him and Rei. _"I wonder if making a cross would work. Why didn't I make these steel-tipped roses?"_

Luna glared over Rei's shoulder indignantly as Rei opened the door and went into the room.

~~~

"Rei." The girls called out.

"Finally." Makoto cried. "We think that there might be another youm-..." Mako cut off what she was saying as soon as she saw Mamoru.

Minako sighed at the dozen red roses. Usagi looked towards the door, she'd been talking with Ami....

__

"Nani!" She glanced at Mercury, her eyes going wide in fright. _"How can I not think about that baka, if he decides to come to my room and give me flowers."_ Actually, she considered it for a moment. The flowers weren't for her they were probably for Rei. The two must be on a date. Rei had come by to tell them that she wouldn't be able to come to the meeting.

~~~~

Mamoru's eyes had locked on Usagi's bunny-clad form as soon as he entered the room. She was sitting on top of her bed discussing something with Ami. He gripped the vase and walked towards her slowly ignoring everyone else in the room.

~~~

Rei set Luna down on the windowsill and then turned to watch the unfolding scene.

~~~

Mamoru held the roses towards Usagi and smiled. "I brought these to help you feel better."

Usagi looked at the roses an idea beginning to form. "Gomen-Nasai, Mamoru-san, but I'm allergic to roses."

__

"There...perfect excuse."

Mamoru's face fell. _"Allergic to roses...She can't be...."_ He was ready to leave right then, go to the nearest florist and order a bouquet of anything but roses. However Ami stopped him.

"Usagi's wrong, she's allergic to tulips, not roses. She mixes them up because they're both red."

Mamoru looked at the blue-haired goddess and smiled. _"Silly Usa...I'll bring her roses every day until she recovers."_

Usagi took the roses reluctantly, glaring at Ami. Then she smelled them. "Oh these are wonderful. Thank you Mamoru-san."

"you're welcome Usagi."

They stared into each other's eyes, ignoring everyone else in the room for their one small moment of bliss.

~~~

Minako broke the calm by falling off her chair. She had been leaning forward so much, she didn't notice that there was nothing supporting her.

~~~

With the spell broken, Mamoru gave one last look at his beloved, then said goodbye. He didn't even notice that Luna followed him out of the room. 

Luna lay down in front of Usagi's door, she watched as the midnight-haired gentleman bumped into the wall, the banister, Usagi's father, and the closed door. 

~~~

Mamoru fumbled with the doorknob, opened it and left, leaving a gaping Kenji behind him.

~~~

Luna shook her head silently. _"He's almost as much of a klutz as Usagi."_

~~~

As soon as the rest of the Senshi left Usagi turned on Ami. "Why did you accept the roses? I thought you told me not to think about him."

Ami merely smiled. She'd had a small talk with the Senshi of Love on the way over. When Mamoru entered the room, Minako had glanced at Ami and nodded confirming that what she had thought was true. Mamoru and Usagi were soulmates. Somehow fate was trying to bring them together and she wasn't going to interfere.

"I need it for a DNA sample." She explained. "It might help me to stop the teleportations." There she'd lied without even blushing, which proved that you could do anything if it was for the right reasons.

Usagi calmed down as soon as she heard the explanations. "Well, I'll keep the roses for a week just in case you need anything else."

Ami nodded her agreement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night Usagi took one last look at her roses before snuggling down to fall asleep. A sleep which would be undisturbed thanks to Ami.

Ami had changed her instructions to Luna, the cat wouldn't have to wake Usagi up every hour, only if she was having nightmares. Ami was willing to help fate along, but refused to scare Usagi in the process.

Usagi shut her eyes and fell into oblivion.

__

A dark mist filled the clearing. Usagi looked around, there was a feeling of danger, she transformed into Sailor Moon, without the dazzling light display. 

"Tuxedo Kamen." She whispered the words, they rebounded and echoed. The superheroine was all alone.

A dim light shone in the distance, Sailor Moon walked towards it wondering what she would find. She was looking for something but didn't know what it was. Maybe they would help her.

The light was created by a blue fire, an old grizzled man knelt before it staring into the flames.

"Can you help me?"

The Watcher turned wondering who was disturbing his vigilance. 

"Serenity." He said bowing his head to the ground, he sat up and stared at the young princess. "Why have you come to my fire?"

"I'm looking for something. Can you help me find it? Somebody took it away."

The old man shook his head. "Child you search for your destiny. The only way you can find it is by admitting the truth to yourself. The fire will understand, she has already begun the process of mourning her loss. Don't let it be in vain."

Serenity wandered away confused. What did he mean "the fire is mourning her loss"? She didn't understand.

"Endymion where are you? You're supposed to be here."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A blue light suffused Usagi's room, her brooch glowed with a blue fire. Luna unconsciously moved closer to the source of the heat until she had covered Usagi's brooch. Neither awoke as they disappeared in a bright flash of light.

~~~~~

Luna opened her eyes, her pupils slitting automatically. She looked around her very carefully. This didn't smell like Usagi's room, and from what little she could see it didn't look like Usagi's room.

__

"Goodness, she must've teleported again. But how did she bring me along?"

She stood up. _" I thought she would teleport somewhere outside. Not inside a house."_ Luna stepped off Usagi's chest, careful not to wake the sleeping girl. _"While I'm here I'll explore a little anything to help Mercury."_

Just then Luna realized that she hadn't stepped onto the ground, but onto someone else. Onto someone's bare chest and from little she could feel that person definitely wasn't a girl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let me know what you think. E-mail or review


	5. Break-up

Hey everyone, here's Chapter 5 and I'll post Chapter 6 early tomorrow morning.

Goddess Moon I do have your story but there's a problem when I try to upload it, so please be patient.

Guess what? I have an editor. (Katherine, my neighbor from next door. Call her Kat (not Kathy or Kate) Kat. Call her any other name and well, you won't survive until tomorrow.

I'm posting this before I leave for school, so this is a quick author's note.

Ummm...for the disclaimer we have Jupiter.

Makoto: Analla doesn't own Sailor Moon.

Thanks Mako.

You guys enjoy the story.

P.S. Next chapter I PROMISE is the one everyone has been waiting for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 5

Break-up

Luna gazed down at the strange form. _"If only there were more light, I could see who this is." _ She stepped closer, bending her head down.

A feeling of urgency awakened Usagi. She glanced to the now familiar balcony and groaned inwardly. _"Mercury said this wasn't going to happen again._" She turned her head to look at Mamoru. 

"_I've never seen him slee...."_

"LUNA! Don't you dare hurt Mamo-chan." Usagi cried as she yanked Luna away from her unsuspecting victim. Luna had a paw hovering over his face, looking as if she was about to strike.

"I wasn't..." Luna began to defend herself but stopped as she realized that someone was watching them.

Mamoru sat up shaking his head in disbelief. Sitting on his bed was Usagi dressed in _bunny _pajamas, her cat cradled in her arms. _"My dream and nightmare together?" _ Mamoru thought, _"This is impossible."_

"Odango," He cried disbelieving. "How did you...?" He stopped at a loss for words. 

Usagi's face was ashen. Mamoru had seen her. _"How can I explain away THIS?"_ Usagi asked herself, she clutched Luna tightly to her chest. _"You don't see me. You can't see me. I'm invisible."_ She repeated the mantra to herself. 

__

"It's possible." She thought, vainly hoping for a miracle.. _"I wished myself here, I should be able to wish myself invisible."_

Mamoru continued to stare at Usagi, the shock refused to leave.

__

"I want to go home." Usagi wailed inwardly. _"I just want to go home."_

Mamoru reached out a hand to touch his vision, to see if it was real. But all he grasped was empty air.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We're home" Usagi cried happily as she realized that they were back in her room. She fell back on her bed, flinging her arms open in relief. Luna was unprepared for the sudden movement and was flung several feet away.

__

"I am **never** leaving my room again." Usagi thought. _"No more roofs, no more balcony, no more Mamo-..."_ She paused for a moment. _"Well Mamo-chan can visit me here."_ That was definitely the best plan, definitely she thought yawning as she pulled her covers up ready to fall back asleep.

An incensed voice brought her back to reality.

"Where were we?" 

Usagi sat up and looked innocently at an irate Luna. 

"I...I..." She wanted to say I don't know, but that would be lying. _"Besides Luna would be able to tell if I was lying. She always can."_

"You called him." Luna paused trying to remember the brief episode. "Mamo-chan, but you don't know anyone by that name."

Suddenly Luna's eyes went wide. "MAMORU!" She yelled deafening Usagi. "What under the name of the moon are you doing transporting yourself to Mamoru's apartment." 

__

"I should have done more than scratch his back. Next time I see him, he's dead."

Usagi cowered away from the furious feline. "It's not my fault Luna, I didn't want to go there again."

"This has happened BEFORE!" 

Usagi looked at Luna and begun wishing herself far away from there. _"I'll go back to Mamoru's apartment, I'll even jump a few rooftops. Even a youma"_ Anything was better then facing Luna in angry kitty mode.

Usagi opened her eyes and sighed. Her wishing worked. _"If I have a power, then I should be able to use it whenever I want."_ She thought indignantly. Her eyes moved to Luna who had pulled her spare communicator from the top dresser drawer.

"What are you doing?" Usagi asked.

Luna looked up calmly. "I've called a Senshi meeting, it's time we take care of your little problem."

__

"Makoto will most definitely have to be told. I suppose Rei as well. Together they can keep Usagi away from that ruffian."

Luna looked at Usagi, her eyes betraying the hurt that she felt. "Why didn't you tell me?" Luna asked calmly. "You lied to me, you said you didn't know where you were."

"Downtown Tokyo indeed." She sniffed haughtily, but continued her voice growing more sorrowful. " Do you realize how much I worried about you? Thinking you were dead? While all the time you were snugly resting in _his_ apartment? Why didn't you tell me?"

Usagi groaned as each well-aimed barb hit its mark. When Luna went on a guilt-trip, she went straight for the jugular. Usagi stared up at the moon. She would most definitely rather be back with Mamo-chan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"_She's gone."_ Mamoru stared disbelieving at the slightly rumpled bedspread. _"She had to be here, I saw her. People don't disappear into thin air, it's against the law of physics." _But there was no evidence that she had been there, the only explanation was that it had to have been a dream.

Mamoru was about to lay back down, but he felt a sharp stinging on his chest. He stumbled to the bathroom and flipped on the light. Haunted eyes stared back at him, he looked down to the ten bloody furrows that had been carved into his chest.

__

"I knew she was here." He thought triumphantly as he reached for the hydrogen peroxide. _"She was most definitely here." _He looked at the brown bottle and gritted his teeth as he swabbed a cottonball. "_This will sting a little, but it's better than my back. Anything would be better than telling Motoki I was attacked by that cat again." _

After Luna had wounded him, he'd refused to go to the hospital to have someone look at his back. His aloofness came from his secretiveness. He didn't let anyone close enough to find out anything personal about him.

Except Motoki.

Motoki had known about Mamoru's secret identity almost from the start. It was nice having someone to confide in, someone who had a first-aid kit that had every bandage and drug known to man.

So when Mamoru was wounded he went to the arcade or Motoki's apartment. Motoki rarely asked questions, just bandaged Mamoru's various abrasions and bruises, and then he'd make no mention of it the next day.

However this last time.

~~~

Mamoru had entered the arcade, trying not to move too much. If his jacket even brushed against his back, it was pure agony. Motoki took one look at his pale friend and gestured towards the back room.

Motoki reached for the first aid kit immediately, he'd recognized the "I'm injured" look as soon as Mamoru had come into the arcade. 

Mamoru removed his jacket sighing in relief as the pain went away. Motoki turned around took one look at his friend's back and dropped the plastic box in shock. "What happened to you?"  
In all the time Motoki had known Mamoru, he had never seen an injury quite as bad as this one. Mamoru's shirt looked as if it had been run through a paper shredder. His back was criss-crossed with cuts, as if a tiny whip had been used to lash him.

__

"Of all the battles I've been in, this is the ONE time he asks what happened." Mamoru thought ironically. _"Why couldn't that devil been a youma?"_

"Cat." Mamoru explained lying down on the makeshift bed, a table quickly cleared of its contents. Motoki cut away the remainders of Mamoru's shirt. "She attacked me and somehow she-"

"Aaaagggghhh!!!! Mamoru cried in pain. Motoki only shook his head and continued to apply the alcohol, 

"You were saying?" Motoki asked calmly once he was done disinfecting the wounds. They had needed to be cleaned and he wouldn't apologize for it.

Mamoru glared up at his friend. Sometimes, every now and then; Mamoru thought Motoki enjoyed causing him pain. _"I wonder how much the Dark Kingdom would pay him. He definitely has the torturer role down."_

Mamoru turned his head back to the impromptu bed. "I took some flowers to Usagi as a get well present and her cat attacked me. Somehow she wiggled underneath my jacket and managed to scratch..."

Mamoru stopped as he heard a sound escape his friend's lips. Mamoru turned his head to look. Motoki had fallen to the ground and was _laughing._

"You mean to tell me." Motoki was coughing trying to stop the laughs from escaping. "That you...the mighty Tuxedo Kamen...After being attacked by all those youma, you come here and don't say anything, just sit there stoically while I bandage you up. But a little _kitty_ comes after you and it causes more pain and does more damage than a YOUMA!"

"She's NOT a cat." Mamoru insisted. "She's the devil."

Motoki continued laughing.

"_I'm not going to hear the end of this one anytime soon." _Mamoru thought as he threw the remnants of his shirt in the trash and pulled his jacket back on zipping it up.

Mamoru's back was all bandaged so he left, refusing to be there when Motoki finally stopped laughing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi sat on her bed looking at the window, it was open to the night breeze, and the Senshi should be arriving soon. Luna's back was turned to her. Luna had listened very calmly to Usagi's explanation, not even complaining when Usagi said she met Tuxedo Kamen. After Usagi was done they both sat in silence waiting for the other Senshi.

Mercury was the first one to arrive.

Usagi flew across the room and threw herself into the startled Senshi's arms nearly knocking them both out the window.

"It happened again." Usagi wailed. "You said it wouldn't happen again."

"YOU KNEW!" Luna accused Ami.

"What wouldn't happen?" Rei had just arrived, her question managed to cut off Luna's tirade.

"Usagi's transported herself to Mamoru's apartment TWICE." Luna informed the senshi of fire.

"TWICE!!" Rei shouted shocked. "What are you doing going to my boyfriend's apartment."

Minako and Makoto arrived to see Rei chasing Usagi around the room.

~~~~

After everyone was calmed down, Usagi was forced to sit down and explain everything. Luna sat on the dresser glaring at her, so she didn't leave anything out. Well..., just a few choice details.

"You saw him in his WHAT?" Rei yelled. "He's MY boyfriend, you should have shut your eyes."

Usagi glanced at Rei and smiled. _"If she only knew." _Usagi had told them that Mamoru had been dressed in a two-piece pajama set. _"That's the one thing I'm keeping to myself. I'll tell them everything else, but not that."_

She quickly glossed over the nightmares, refusing to relive those. Also she avoided mentioning the roof incident as much as possible. Thankfully the Senshi focused more on her near death experience then they did her meeting with Tuxedo Kamen.

At the end of the explanation, everyone looked towards Mercury.

Mercury stared at her computer screen and then up at the others.

"I'll need more information." She explained, there were some details that were missing. "Rei you'll have to get me into his apartment so I can take readings there."

Rei nodded swiftly. "Anything to keep odango away from him. He's my boyfriend, not hers" She muttered under her breath.

"I didn't mean to fall in love with him." Usagi defended herself as soon as she heard Rei's complaint.

Everyone paused and looked at Usagi in shock.

"What?" She looked at the others. "What did I...?" Her face drained of all color as she realized what she'd said. 

"Oh no." She whispered as blackness enveloped her and her body slumped to the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru waited at the corner impatiently. He glanced at his watch for the fifth time. 

__

"Ondago's late. Why can't she ever be on time?" He'd been standing there for the past half-hour, usually Usagi came barreling around the corner five minutes after the hour like clockwork. Today she hadn't.

__

"Where is she?" He began pacing angrily. He wanted to confront her, ask her what had happened. How she'd gotten into his apartment.

His inner musings were abruptly cut off as someone bumped into him.

__

"Odan...Rei." He quickly changed names as he realized _who_ had bumped into him. "Are you all right?"  
Rei looked up into Mamoru's eyes, then she looked away, it was too painful.

"Were you expecting Usagi?"

"What...no...of course not." Mamoru denied as he looked down the street. Where was his blond-headed klutz? "It's just that she's usually the one who bumps into me."  
"Of course." Rei said, her voice full of ice. She sighed as she remembered what she had promised Mercury.

"Mamoru, you're taking some physics courses right."  
"Uh-huh." Mamoru said absently staring down the street. _"She'd better get her soon, before I'm late for school."_

"Well, I have a friend Ami. She's already finished with her math books at school and I was wondering if she could borrow one of yours. We can come by after school today and pick it up."

"Okay." Mamoru said as he looked at Rei, he hadn't even heard half the conversation.

"Great." Rei said surprising Mamoru by kissing him quickly. She ran away, her happiness restored. He'd _never_ invited her to his apartment before. Now he had. _"He's mine Usagi, all mine."_

Mamoru cursed as he realized Usagi wasn't coming. He turned around and ran quickly to school.

__

"Tonight I'll find out what happened. Even if I have to go to her room." He smiled at the thought. Turnabout was fair play after all.

~~~~~

Usagi walked home slowly. The ice cream she had bought did nothing to cheer her up. Her mother had driven her to school. The doctor had told Ikuko to keep Usagi from overextending herself and give her as many liquids as she would eat. This included ice-cream, Popsicles, and milk-shakes. So now Usagi had an unlimited budget to buy as many as she wanted, a thought that would usually have made her do cartwheels down the street. But today she couldn't.

She continued down the street not really paying any attention to where she was going.

SMACK!

"Gomen Nasai." Usagi mumbled and continued on past the obstruction, not even realizing if it was a lamppost or human.

"Usagi." A voice called, causing her to turn around.

__

"Please, let it be someone else." Unfortunately luck wasn't with her that day.

Mamoru was very quickly closing the space between them.

Usagi yeeped dropping her ice cream cone, then she ran away as fast as possible.

~~~~~

Mamoru looked at the quickly receding girl. He wanted to chase after her, but no one could catch up to Usagi if she didn't want them to.

__

"I wonder how many land speed records, she'll be breaking." He could picture it perfectly. 

A tearful Usagi staring innocently up at a gruff-looking police officer holding a radar gun. 

"I sware officer I thought it was 100, I didn't mean to speed through a 30 mph zone."

He'd go to the Crown she always went there after school.

~~~~

Mamoru returned to his apartment. He hadn't been able to find a trace of Usagi all day. He stepped off the elevator to find Rei standing there, her arms folded, tapping a foot impatiently.

"Mamoru where have you been?" She demanded as soon as she saw him. "We have been waiting for over an hour." She gestured quickly towards Ami who was doing her best to try to blend in with the background.

"Sorry Rei." He apologized, not even knowing what he was apologizing for. With her it was better to mend the damage, then find out what was wrong. "So are you ready to go?" It was a shot in the dark, but the only reason he could think that Rei would come to his apartment, he must've missed a date.

Rei stared up at the ceiling counting slowly to ten asking the heavens why every single male she met was so dense-headed.

"We came by so Ami could borrow your physics book, remember."

"Of course." Mamoru answered unlocking his door, letting the girls precede him into the apartment.

The girls sat down and Mamoru went down the hall to his bedroom. He came back moments later carrying four different physics books. "I'm not sure which course you're in Ami. Why don't you choose from one of these?"  
Ami scanned the titles quickly. She already owned three of the books and the newest version of the fourth book. "I'm not sure which one it is, I'll have to look at the problems." Ami sat back down and pretended to search through the book.

"Mamoru." Rei called sweetly. "Would you mind making Ami and me some tea."

Mamoru didn't have much choice because Rei herded him quickly towards the kitchen. As soon as they were gone Ami grabbed the books and went down the hall to Mamoru's room.

She pulled out the computer and scanned the room quickly. The energy readings were remarkable. There were traces of the two teleportations. A senshi transforming. _"Sailor Moon."_ She whispered to herself. There was also something else. The readings indicated another transformation occurring, but the energy readings were too different to be one of the Senshi. Ami also searched through the room looking for anymore clues.

The only interesting thing she found out was that Mamoru didn't even _own _a two-piece pajama set, only boxers.

Ami blushed slightly as she realized _exactly _what Usagi had seen. _"Why can't I teleport?"_ She thought wistfully as she went back to the frontroom.

~~~~~

Mamoru and Rei were waiting for her patiently. 

Ami blushed, bowing quickly. "Sorry Mamoru I didn't mean to go to your room. I just thought to be polite and put back the books I didn't need."

"It's okay Ami." Mamoru said gesturing for her to sit down. "Rei was telling me that Usagi fainted again. Do you think she'll be okay?" The question was asked very innocently, but Ami knew it had been planned.

"She's fine." Ami answered. "Her mother drove her to school today, the doctor doesn't want her exerting herself."

Mamoru nodded and then changed the subject. _"She's not avoiding me."_ He crowed. _"After school, she must've been upset about dropping her ice cream cone and ran away so I wouldn't see her cry."_ He vowed then and there to buy her as many ice cream cones as she wanted. He didn't even notice when the Ami and Rei left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

"Three days!" Mamoru thought as he paced angrily about his room. _"THREE DAYS!" _ That was how long he had been trying to get Usagi alone so they could discuss what had happened. He was beginning to wonder if it _had _happened. The scratches were beginning to heal and pretty soon, he wouldn't even have that proof.

He'd played cat and mouse with Usagi, but she always managed to avoid him. Her mom was taking her to school, so he didn't see her in the morning. The first day she hadn't had detention, so he'd missed her after school. The next day she had and the third day, he'd been called off to help Sailor Moon fight another youma. Mamoru had nearly killed the youma with his bare hands, by the time he'd returned to the school, Usagi was gone.

She didn't go to the Crown Arcade, she was hiding and Mamoru knew it.

Finally in desperation Mamoru had transformed into Tuxedo Kamen and tried to get into her bedroom when he saw HER.

Luna was sleeping in the windowsill, guarding the entrance to her mistress' domain. Tuxedo Kamen had cursed as he stood vigil over the window, but the baka feline never left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rei looked at her watch. Mamoru was late. _"Again."_ She sighed silently. He'd broken their past two dates and she knew why. 

__

"Usagi, I don't know how she did it. I thought those two HATED each other." Minako had pulled Rei aside after the senshi meeting and told Rei what she suspected.

__

"Soulmates. Those two haven't even been on a date, how can they be Soulmates."

Looking back she realized that Minako was right. During each of their dates Mamoru always steered the conversation around to Usagi. Either: "Odango bumped into me again today." or something else like that.

"What's wrong beautiful?" Mamoru asked as he slipped into the booth across from her.

Rei looked up. _"I'm surprised he pulled himself off Usagi-detail long enough to come and see me."_ She thought bitterly.

"We need to talk Mamoru."

Mamoru nodded and then looked at the window. If Usagi came by then he'd see her. He only half-heard what Rei was saying.

"only friends..."

"someone else..."

"still date..."  
"Are you even paying attention to me?" Rei snapped angrily. Heavens, she was breaking up with the man. Her heart was being shattered, _he_ could at least have the decency to _listen._

Mamoru was about to say yes, but just then Usagi walked through the door.

Tears poured down Rei's face as she stood up to leave Mamoru looked at her. The bits of conversation he'd heard rushed quickly to fit together. They were breaking up and he hadn't even noticed. He grasped her left arm and looked down.

"I'm sorry Rei." He said quietly, acknowledging full blame for the breakup. "I didn't want to make it happen this way. I love her."

Rei's tears cleared for an instant, she knew that Mamoru loved Usagi deeply.

"Just don't hurt her." Rei begged. _"Don't hurt her like you've hurt me."_

Mamoru nodded.

Rei ran out of the arcade then, she wanted to cry alone.

On the way out, she bumped into Usagi.

Usagi looked at Rei's tears. "What's wrong?" She asked, who had hurt Rei.

"He's all yours." Rei cried as she ran away. "We broke up."

Usagi clutched her milkshake tightly as she swiveled her head and saw exactly who Rei was talking about.

She walked towards him swiftly. _"How dare he break up with Rei?"_ The least she would give him would be a tongue lashing.

Mamoru quickly straightened up as he realized Usagi was coming towards him.

__

"Finally, she's finally paying attention to me. Now we'll get to talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay guys.

Kat hasn't begun editing yet, so if you noticed any mistakes, please ignore them.

I wanted to get this chapter uploaded last night, but the servers were down.

:::Analla sighs.:::

So I'm uploading it quickly before school. If there's any mistakes let me know and I'll take care of them before chapter 6.

Kay?

Ja'ne 

Analla


	6. Misunderstandings

Hey minna

Here's Chapter 6 and 7. Sorry they took so long, but I decided to add a few more things to Chapter 6 and then I just decided to split it into two chapters. Also I had to readjust the author's notes from Too Many Tests, so they'll match up.

Candace I loved the rose.

Thanks to Jennie and Cassie-chan for e-mailing me, and also a special thanks to everyone who has reviewed.

Especially to Kat-chan who is nice enough to check my grammar and spelling. (I know a spell-checker can do this, but it's nice to have a live human give you an opinion. She's one of the reasons it took so long for this chapter to get out)

Angel (Almost Your Angel from the reviews) I'm really sorry to hear you're sick. I hope you enjoy the get well card I e-mailed you. Get well soon.

For the disclaimer today we have Sailor Venus.

"Hello Minako. How are you today?"

Venus walks out and stares at me coolly.

"Fine Analla. How are you?"

I stare Minako, she is writing something on a piece of paper.'

"What is that?" I ask curiously.

"Mercury warned me about you. I'm counting my words." Venus makes another mark on the paper with each word she says.

I tear the sheet away and glance at it quickly. 

"How many words do I get?"  
"Twenty." Minako answers tersely taking the paper back and making another mark.

I quickly look at the disclaimer, then back at Venus' paper.

I have five words left, the disclaimer has six. I smile. Take Venus' pen and cross off one word, we don't need it anyways.

"There," I say handing her the paper. "Read everything but the crossed out word."

Venus looks at the paper.

__

"Analla does not own Sailor Moon."

"What? Venus would only read 5 words, what did you expect me to do."

"P.S. if anyone mentions the contraction doesn't then I will kill you."

I guess Mercury was madder than I thought, I hope she didn't warn the other scouts.

I hope everyone enjoys Chapter 6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 6:

Misunderstandings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi watched Rei's quickly receding form. She paused, torn. _"Should I go after Rei or Mamoru?"_ She turned her head in Mamoru's direction. He met her gaze calmly, sitting there as if nothing had just happened. 

__

"I'll take care of that baka first." She thought as she rushed across the arcade, fury seething out every pore.

"You CREEP! How DARE you hurt Rei like that? You're the scum of the earth. I HATE YOU!!!!! Never talk to Rei or me again." With that Usagi dumped her milkshake over Mamoru's head and then left the arcade in search of Rei.

~~~~~

Usagi found Rei kneeling in front of an old tree on the temple grounds. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Are you okay?" Usagi asked quietly sitting down.

Rei opened her eyes and stared at Usagi. "I'm fine." 

Rei was amazed, Usagi should be with Mamoru, not her.

"Where's your boyfriend?" She asked bitterly.

"Boyfriend_?_" Usagi was surprised. "You mean Mamoru. I'd never go out with him after he dumped you. What kind of a friend do you think I am?"  
_"Friend."_ The word echoed through Rei's mind. Also the realization that she had been more concerned about losing Usagi's friendship, then she was about breaking up with Mamoru. _"I was jealous."_ She thought. _"Hurt yes." _She admitted. _"But I was jealous, afraid that Usagi wouldn't want to be my friend anymore. Afraid that Mamoru would take my place."_

"Usagi." She whispered her friend's name. She _had _to set the record straight. "It wasn't Mamoru's fault we broke up, it was mine."

"WHAT?!?" Usagi shouted realization dawning. _"Oh Kami. THE MILKSHAKE. He's...He'll kill me."_

"I'll have to let him call me Odango Atama for the rest of my life." The last part she wailed to herself.

Rei watched as a myriad of expressions passed over Usagi's face. She stood up pulling Usagi along with her. Rei herded her to the temple steps.

"Go find him." She ordered. "Tell him I'm okay."

Usagi nodded dumbly as she walked towards the arcade.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Here, you might need this." Motoki thrust a white towel at his best friend.

Mamoru took the towel and absently wiped off the chocolate that was dripping down his face....and his neck....and his arms. _"She definitely has good aim."_ He thought. _"Down my SHIRT! How did she...?_

She must take lessons from her cat."

Motoki gestured towards the back room. Once inside with the door safely shut, he rounded on his friend.

"So what did you do to make Usagi so mad? I have _never _seen her waste food like that."

"Nothing." Mamoru said as he removed his shirt and wiped up the chocolate that had managed to drip down his chest and back. "Rei broke up with me and the next thing I knew Usagi told me she HATED me."

Motoki sighed as he realized Mamoru was suffering from a broken heart.

"How long have you loved her?"

"Forever." Mamoru admitted. "I think even before I met her, there was already a place carved for her within my heart."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi entered the arcade looking around fearfully. She sighed in relief when she realized Mamoru wasn't there. 

__

"I tried." She thought running out of the arcade. _"He wasn't there." _She hurried down the street. _"What was I thinking anyways? That baka is still trying to find out what happened three nights ago and there is no way I'm going to explain that."_

Usagi stopped in front of Ami's house. _"My brooch."_ She realized. _"If I don't have it then I can't teleport."_ She walked up the steps and knocked on Ami's door.

Ami's mom answered. "Usagi, how are?" She asked smiling as Usagi entered.

"Fine Mizuno-san." Usagi bowed politely. "Is Ami here?"

"She's up in her bedroom studying. You may go on up, it's about time for her to take a break anyways."

Usagi nodded and then went up the stairs to Ami's room. She found Ami studiously reading a book.

~~

"Here." Usagi said tossing her brooch down on Ami's book.

Ami looked up surprised, she hadn't even heard Usagi come in. "What's this for?" She asked confused, looking at the object. "Your brooch. Is something wrong with it?"

Usagi began pacing in front of Ami. "Of course something's wrong with it. I _refuse_ to teleport again. You told me the only reason I teleport is because I'm Sailor Moon. If I don't have the brooch then I can't teleport."

Ami nodded at Usagi's logic. "We're not sure it's the brooch though. I still don't have enough data, to be sure."

"I DON'T CARE!" Usagi yelled, shocking her friend. "I DON'T want to teleport again, so tonight you'll keep the brooch. If it doesn't work, then no harm done."

"No harm?" Ami asked. "What if there's a youma attack?"

Usagi paused, she hadn't thought about _that._ "If there is then you bring the brooch with you and I'll transform there."

Ami was about to say something else, but realized that Usagi was determined. Nothing she said would change her mind. She just hoped that there wasn't a youma attack.

"Fine." Ami agreed reluctantly.

"Thank you." Usagi whispered in relief as she hugged her friend. "Thank you."

Usagi left Ami's room, relief pulsed through her being. _"No more nightmares."_ She crowed to herself. _"I don't have to deal with the nightmares anymore. I can finally get a good night's sleep."_ The one thing she hadn't told the other was of her fear of the nightmares. It actually went beyond fear, it was pure terror, agony that she didn't want to have to suffer through ever again.

~~~~~~

Ami cradled the brooch reverently. She knew that something was going on, Usagi wouldn't give up her brooch unless_ something_ was extremely wrong. She pulled out her communicator and called the other Senshi and Luna.

"The Usagi situation has escalated. We need to have a meeting immediately."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Senshi met at Rei's temple, each careful that Usagi didn't see them on the way there.

"What happened?"  
Makoto asked as soon as Ami arrived. Ami held up a package that was wrapped in tissue, she quickly folded back the thin paper.

"Usagi's brooch." Luna cried in amazement. "How did you get it?"

Ami sat down setting the brooch on a low table. "Usagi gave it to me. She told me she doesn't want to teleport again. Why would she do it?"  
The Senshi were silent.

"Mamoru and I broke up today." Rei finally admitted. "She said she didn't want to take my boyfriend from me."

"That's not it." Minako said. "Their love is too strong for that to stop her. It's something else, something that only she knows about."

"It has to be her nightmares." Luna whispered. "She's tried to stay up for the past three nights just so she won't have them."

"How can we stop them?" Mako asked Ami.

Ami shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know that we can. Maybe Usagi's right, maybe if she isn't near her brooch they'll stop."

"Fine." Luna said. "Ami you keep Usagi's brooch for tonight. We'll see if it actually works. The rest of you wear your communicators, if something happens then I'll need help. Who wants to watch over Usagi with me tonight?" There was no way Luna would leave Usagi unprotected when she couldn't transform.

"I'll do it Luna." Mako said quietly from the corner. The other Senshi tried to protest, but Makoto glared at them until each nodded her head. "Let's do it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru stared around his empty apartment. He'd searched for Usagi all day, but he hadn't found her. He'd tried her house, the arcade, the park, and any other place he could think of. She wasn't anywhere

Finally he fell to his bed in exhaustion, quickly tearing off his clothes. He quickly fell into a deep sleep, determined to find Usagi. Since he hadn't been able to find her in the waking world then maybe he could find her in his dreams.

~~~~~

__

A familiar landscape appeared. Tuxedo Kamen looked up towards the balcony. His princess wasn't there. Terrified he tried to move. He had to find her. But it was impossible. His legs were heavy as stone, an unseen pressure was pressing down his arms.

Death walked out of the mist. "She's released her link with you." He gloated. "The strongest way your souls had of communicating and she has given it up. Now I will finish what should have happened a millennia ago."

Mamoru cried out in agony as pain lanced through him. His vision blurred, soon all he could see was blackness.

He fell to his knees.

:Princess, where are you?: 

__

It was his last conscious thought before he succumbed to the torment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi crawled in through her bedroom window. She had spent the day wandering the streets of Tokyo, not even realizing where she was going. Finally exhaustion drove her home. She quickly changed into her pajamas and fell asleep.

~~~

Luna and Jupiter found her sleeping peacefully.

"Maybe having Ami keep her brooch was the best thing to do." Luna whispered careful not to disturb the sleeping girl.

Makoto nodded as she studied her slumbering friend. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Serenity wandered through the blackness. It was as if the light had been stolen from everything. She sensed that something should be here, but it was just a vast plain of nothingness.

"Endymion." She cried trying to find their psychic link. "Where are you? I'm all alone."

~~~~~

Usagi's body shuddered violently. Luna looked at Makoto. "This is usually how her nightmares begin, we need to wake her up."

Makoto nodded her assent, then began shaking Usagi gently, trying to awaken her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

"ENDYMION!" Serenity yelled it. Her beloved MUST be here, he had always found her before. It felt as if their link had been broken, but she knew it hadn't. A feeling of urgency filled her. She knew if she didn't find her beloved soon, then they would both die.

"Isn't that what you want Princess?" A voice called from the bleakness. "You willingly gave up your link."

"I DID NOT!" She cried. "I would never break my link with Endymion."

Death smiled. It was an eerie sight, something that few people ever saw, and those who did never wished to recall it. His smile bespoke the many tormented souls that he had within his grasp, the imminent capture of one more. "Didn't you PRINCESS?" He asked mockingly. "If you didn't give it up, then why can't you feel him? Why do you think he is only moments from becoming my next slave?"  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Serenity cried as she realized the truth of the situation.

"Heart-sister, how could you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mako was unable to awaken Usagi. The best that she could do was hold the trembling girl as seizures racked her body. The room was eerily silent. Although Usagi was convulsed in pain, no sound escaped from her lips.

"This isn't working." Luna cried.

"Get the brooch." Makoto said as she dodged a flinging hand. Usagi felt safe when she was with Mamoru, Makoto had realized. He was the only way who could make the nightmares go away, that's why Usagi had teleported. She was seeking the comfort of her soulmate.

"The only way to stop this is to let her teleport." 

Luna nodded and called Ami on the communicator.

"What?" Ami's face appeared, a worried expression quite apparent.

"We need the brooch NOW." Luna told her. "The nightmares haven't stopped, and they're worse then they were before."

Ami was surprised, but obeyed the command. She quickly transformed and left for Usagi's house.

~~~

It took five minutes for Sailor Mercury to arrive. During that time Usagi huddled into a small ball clutching Luna, every muscle was tightened and her face betrayed the agony that she was going through. Ami wasn't even through the window when the brooch rushed from her hand straight towards Usagi, like two magnets coming together.

The brooch passed straight through Mako, as if she wasn't there. It impacted Usagi's chest, a brilliant light filled the room and Usagi disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"Endymion." Serenity gasped in relief as her beloved appeared before her. She cast herself over his prostrate form, kissing any area of skin she could touch. _

"I'm sorry." She cried, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Endymion smiled as he sat up opening his eyes. The pain had stopped as he and Serenity were together. Serenity's presence was like the sun's heat, melting away the winter snow.

"It's all right darling." He comforted her, stroking her hair. "We'll find a way to make this work."

Serenity smiled and the tears stopped. "I'm afraid you'll have to be the one. My heart-sister is too stubborn to even admit what is right in front of her."

"Of course." Endymion said kissing his beloved. "But remember I'm more stubborn than you." He kissed her again, cradling her protectively. "After all I did get you to come back to Earth even though you didn't want to."

Serenity nodded smiling, knowing that somehow Endymion would solve everything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru's heart quickened as he sensed a familiar presence. He was still half-asleep, but he reached an arm out and pulled her closer. _"There you are Usako, this time I won't let you get away."_

Usagi snuggled up next to him, sighing in content.

They both slept soundly for the next twenty-four hours. The exhaustion of the past three days catching up with both of them.

~~~~~

The Senshi kept an eye on the slumbering couple. Minako slipped in and covered Usagi with a blanket. They also took her stuffed rabbit. Rei told Ikuko that Usagi was spending the weekend with her and she'd make sure that Usagi went to school on time.

They each took a turn jumping to Mamoru's balcony opening the door and seeing if either occupant of the bed was awake yet. Luna refused to let them awaken Usagi. 

"She needs her sleep. I won't disturb her. But as soon as she wakes up on her own, you make sure that you get her out of there."

The Senshi had nodded solemnly promising to do so. Once Luna was gone they made up their own plans.

~~~~~

The girls met at the Crown Arcade to discuss their problem.

"This has to be solved." Minako stated. "If it's not Usagi is still going to have nightmares and we'll be back to square one."

"This is tormenting their souls." Rei said quietly. "They have to admit they love each other."

Minako nodded her agreement.

"Why don't we lock them in?" Mercury asked.

"What?" Mako said spitting out her drink in surprise.

"Lock them in. If they can't get out, they'll be forced to talk. Also she can't teleport."

"Why not?" Rei asked in surprise.

"Because," Mercury explained. "It's a combination of two things that let's her teleport. The first is her transformation brooch, the second is that it requires Luna's presence.

"What?" The Senshi shouted.

"It's Luna. I think she is some kind of fail-safe until Usagi is mature enough to handle this power on her own. Luna has her own powers, if she is near the brooch then the fail-safe is deactivated and Usagi is allowed to teleport."

Motoki was wiping the counter nearby. He had overheard everything the girls had said. When they mentioned the brooch, several pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

"_The Senshi."_ Motoki realized, he stared at them identifying each. _"Sailor Mar, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus."_ Which mean that Usagi was. _"Sailor Moon."_

It definitely fit together now.

He wandered over to the girls.

"I want in on the plan."

The girls looked up at him in surprise, then followed him towards the back room.

"Why should we include you?" Makoto asked.

"Because Sailor Jupiter, I think it only fair that Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen find out who the other truly is."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yeah, the end of Chapter Six. I had to break this up because Chapter 7 is a brand new idea. I'm posting them at the same time though so I'm technically keeping my promise.

Review you guys. I need to know if the second to last part is believable (Luna being a fail-safe) or if I should just scrap it.


	7. Awakening

Chapter 7, 

Yeah!!!! I dance around the room.

Today for the disclaimer we were supposed to have Mamo-chan.

:Analla sighs:

But unfortunately Luna somehow recieved an advanced copy of the chapter and has Mamoru cornered.

I'm not blaming anyone, but I think Kat had something to do with it. She's never really liked Mamoru.

Kat- "Excuse me Analla, but who was the person who misspelled my name.

Ugh, well. That might have been me.

"What? You guys K-A-T and C-A-T are really close, besides Kat you're not supposed to be in the Author's notes."

Then get things right.

"Fine, I will."

As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted. Mamo-chan can't read the disclaimer but he sent me a very nice recording.

Puts the tape in the tape recorder. Hits play.

"Luna, I swear I thought it was a dream...........SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

Tape cuts off abruptly.

Well there ya go.

Enjoy the fic.

Oh by the way since I absolutely could not bear to see poor Mamo-chan mangled (come on we have to leave his face alone) For this scene Luna is being replaced by Usagi's pink bunny Mr. FuFu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 7:

Awakening

~~~~~~~~~

After the Senshi recovered from the shock of Motoki knowing their identities and finding out who Tuxedo Kamen truly was.

They began to plan.

"You see." Minako pointed. "I told you they were meant to be together."

With that the five put their heads together and conspired how to get Mamoru and Usagi to admit they loved each other. Makoto and Ami were assigned to watch the balcony.

Rei volunteered to stay at the temple and watch their auras in the sacred fire.

Minako smiled. "That leaves you and me to watch the front door, Motoki."

"But they know what we look like?"

"Don't worry Sailor V is a master of disguise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru smiled as he pulled Usako closer.

__

"Mine, all mine." He thought nuzzlling her neck gently. He'd awoken a few moments before surprised to find Usagi there. However he wasn't one to question the fates when they gave him exactly what he wanted.

He was keeping his eyes closed though. _"I won't let her get away. She always disappears when I open my eyes. This time she won't."_

Usagi awakened stretching languidly. She stiffened as soon as she felt the arm about her waist. _"Ami has my brooch. I couldn't have teleported. What happened?"_

Mamoru began nuzzling her neck.

__

"It must be repayment for all the nightmares I've had. It's only a dream."

Without another thought Usagi let herself drown in the pleasant sensation of being snuggled by her Mamo-chan.

Mamoru frowned slightly. "Usako." He whispered. She should be facing him, how else could he reach her lips. He shifted his arms turning her body.

"Odango Atama." He teased playfully before his lips captured hers.

__

"Odango." Usagi thought indignantly. _"What happened to Usako?"_

Moments later she really didn't care, she abandoned all thought processes as Mamoru deepened the kiss.

Mamoru was tasting the sweet nectar of his goddess, but something was wrong. He pulled back slightly, something cool and hard was digging into his chest. Cradling Usagi's head with one hand he reached the other down to get rid of the offending piece of metal.

Usagi gasped as Mamoru unclapsed.

__

"My brooch."

Various thoughts flitted through her brain. She quickly latched onto one. _"This is definitely NOT a dream."_

Her eyes shot open as she jerked herself out of Mamoru's arms and fell onto the floor.

Mamoru groaned in pain as Usagi's flailing legs hit a delicate, yet very vital, piece of his anatomy.

Indigo eyes met cerelean.

"Care to explain how you got into my apartment Odango."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi panicked. _"This can't be happening. Where's my brooch?"_ She looked around quickly but her brooch wasn't in sight. _"He must've dropped it."_ She quickly dove under the bed, barely missing Mamoru's hand.

__

"It's clean." Usagi thought in amazement as she used her hands to feel for the brooch.

Mamoru fell from the bed in a tangle of blankets and limbs. Once under the floor he shot a hand under the bed and tried to find Usagi.

He immediately came in contact with another hand. Usagi pulled back quickly before he could even grab her.

Mamoru cursed as Usagi escaped his grasp.

"You come out right now." He commanded.

__

"Yeah right." Usagi thought as she moved towards the center of the bed and pulled herself into a tight ball, careful to make sure that none of her hair was grabbable. 

"Go back to sleep Chiba." She called wishing he would do it. _"It's probablly the only way I'll be able to escape."_

"I don't think so." Mamoru said as he reached further under the bed. Usagi squeeked and moved away from him.

__

"She's on the other side." He realized, it was impossible to reach any further under from this end, he wouldn't fit.

Mamoru quickly crawled over the top of the bed and sent a questing hand under. Usagi moved to the other side of the bed.

__

"This could take all night." He admitted. He could picture Usagi and him moving from one side to the other all night long. Just then he glanced at the foot of the bed.

__

"Perfect." He thought as he hopped onto the bed and made his way towards the foot, waiting patiently.

~~~~~

Usagi stilled as soon as she realized Mamoru wasn't trying to grab her anymore. She heard the bed creak slightly. _"Maybe he did go back to bed."_ She paused for a moment. _"Yeah right, he wouldn't give up so easily. He's probably thinking up a way to capture me right now."_

"Kami, where's my brooch?"  
She cast her eyes about. There by her left hand was a small, dark object. _"My brooch."_ She thought in relief as she wiggled downwards so she could pick it up. She reached for it quickly only to find. _"Mr. Fufu, he won't help meee-"_

The thought was abruptly cut off. Mamoru had watched as Usagi's first foot had appeared, then the other. As soon as both were visible, he locked his arms on, jumped off the bed and began pulling.

"Let go baka." Usagi cried, her voice muffled by the bed. She kicked for all she was worth.

"If you think." Mamoru said slowly, dodging Usagi's leg and then relocking his hold on it. "That I'm going to let you go after I finally get you away from your little black demon."

He dodged her leg again..

"Giving up my one advantage."

"Think again."

Usagi reached up and grasped a bed rung, and tried to pull herself back under the bed. Mamoru still pulled, realizing that it was futile. Usagi let go and grabbed Mr. Fufu as Mamoru pulled her the rest of the way out.

Usagi saw Mamoru's form outlined in the dark. "Let me go Chiba." She warned him one last time.

"In your dreams." Mamoru countered moving his hands slowly up her body, refusing to let her go for an instant.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

She pulled her arms out from under the bed and threw Mr. Fufu at what she thought was Mamoru's head.

"Get him Luna." She called loudly.

Mamoru let go of Usagi as his hands flew up to block the projectile that was flying straight towards his face. He prepared himself for slashing claws, but instead he captured.

"A STUFFED ANIMAL."

Usagi's giggle mocked him as she escaped down the hall.

"Serves you right Mamo-chan." She called.

__

"Why does it have to be so dark?" Usagi complained. She literally couldn't see even three inches ahead of herself. Usagi moved her hands along the wall searching for any obstacles. Finally her hand gripped a doorknob.

__

"Goodbye Mamo-chan." She crowed to herself happily as she opened the door and escaped from his apartment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru cursed as he ran down the hallway and flipped on the lights. He couldn't find her anywhere. He checked the front room, the hall, even the kitchen. All of them were empty.

He glanced at the front door. "She wouldn't." He thought desperately as he ran and over unlocked the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Out in the hall Minako heard the door knob rattle.

She quickly threw herself at Motoki, the disguises were good, but this was the perfect opportunity. She kissed him eagerly. Motoki was surprised but seconds later he began to return the kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru swung the door open and stepped out into the hall looking for Usagi.

The only people out there was a young couple kissing feverishly.

"Did a blonde with odangos come out here?" He asked his voice rasping harshly.

The couple turned towards him. The girls eyes widened hugely as her face flushed crimson. She quickly shook her head no.

Mamoru shut his door quickly. _"That girl should be embarassed."_ He thought. _"The least they could do is go into his apartment, they shouldn't be kissing in a public hallway. Some people have no manners."_

Mamoru smiled in contentment as he realized that Usagi hadn't left, which meant she was still somewhere in the apartment. He took a key down from his key hook and then locked the dead bolt. He rarely used the deadbolt, because you had to have the key to unlock it. Now that it was locked Usagi wouldn't be able to escape.

He went to put the key into his pocket. _"No pockets baka."_ He thought as he looked around. Finally he placed the key on a high shelf. A place where Usagi wouldn't be able to reach.

__

"Now to find my little bunny."

~~~~~~~

__

"The bathroom." Usagi wailed to herself as soon as she realized what room she had eneterd. _"How was I supposed to know it was the bathroom. That baka only has two other doors in his whole apartment. Why couldn't I have found the front door."_

She bumped around trying the find the door handle again. She stubbed her toe on the tub before she realized that she was going the wrong way. Usagi turned around, freezing when she saw the sliver of light, coming from the cracks of the doorframe.

__

"That baka turned on the lights." Her only hope was to be able to sneak back to his bedroom unnoticed, find her brooch, and escape.

Usagi poked her head out into the hall and glanced in the direction of Mamoru's bedroom.

"USAGI." A voice yelled from behind her.

Usagi didn't even pause as she ducked head back into the bathroom, shutting the door, and then locking it quickly.

Mamoru ran down the hall and tried to open the door only to find it locked.

"Let me in Odango." He demanded.

"No way Chiba."

Usagi sat down on the edge of the tub. 

__

"At least my night can't get any worse."

Just then her communicator started beeping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What did you guys think?

Please e-mail or review.

I'll try to write chapter 8 as soon as possible.


	8. Trapped

I just want everyone to know this chapter is being written under duress.

If you don't know what I'm talking about go read the beginning and ending author's notes for Too Many Tests. (While you're there you might as well read the story too.) A girl tries for one small chance at happiness, builds a time ship, but all her ambitions get shot down. (Or blown up in my case)

Life isn't fair sometimes. I would have found some way to get the story back to you guys. Or I could have printed the story in the Crystal Tokyo Gazette. Wouldn't you have been willing to wait a thousand years? 

Analla pauses for a moment, waiting for anyone to say yes.

:sighs:

I didn't think so.

Today for the disclaimer we have Sailor Mars.

Rei enters brandishing her anti-evil charms. 

"Hi Rei." I call out, but she waves a charm at me threatingly. 

"Just hand me the disclaimer and no one gets hurt. I'm only doing this because Serenity ordered me to."

I shut my mouth and hand Rei the disclaimer.

Rei glances at it. "Analla doesn't own Sailor Moon." She pauses for a moment. "Or Sailor Mars." She adds quickly. "Also Analla promises never to have Ami or any of the other Inner Senshi read a disclaimer again, even if Serenity orders them to."

"Hey." I protest. "That's going too far."

Rei holds up a charm. "Do you agree Analla?"

I look at the charm considering for a moment. I don't think I'm evil.

But just to be on the safe side.

I nod.

"Fine." Rei hands me back the disclaimer and then leaves.

That does it. Rei gets the short straw. I was wondering who to give it to anyways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 8:

Trapped

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi groaned as her communicator continued to beep insistently. _"Not now, I really don't need this right now."_ She glanced down to see who was calling her; it was the symbol for Mars. _"Rei, couldn't it have been someone else?"  
_The beeping became shriller. It was a minor modification that Ami had made to Usagi's communicator after she had slept through a battle. The communicator would beep louder and louder until she finally turned it off. Although half the time it was Luna who found the communicator, where it had been flung on the floor from the night before, and turned it off. After that Luna would use her tongue, which was more like a sandstorm then sandpaper, to wake Usagi up.

Usagi pushed the flashing red button, more to stop the noise, then anything else. 

"Where's the youma?" She asked tersely cutting Rei off before she could even say anything.

Rei looked at the darkened room and Usagi's face. _"Oh,"_ she thought blushing. _"I hope I didn't...umm...interrupt anything."_

"Usagi, where are you? Mercury checked on you and Mamoru, but said you were both awake."

"I'm in the _bathroom._" Usagi whispered the wail evident in her voice, not really listening to everything that Rei had said. Usagi didn't care all she wanted at the moment was a sympathetic ear.

__

"Hey, wait a minute! Me and MAMORU!!! How did they know I was..."

"Mamoru?" Usagi latched onto the name, wondering exactly what was happening. "What do you mean checked on me and Mamoru? How did you know I was here? How did I teleport again? My brooch was halfway across the city."

Rei blanched. "_Kami, why did I have to get the short straw? I don't want to be the one to have to explain this."_

"Luna had Ami bring the brooch back." Rei explained. "We did it for your own good, because you were having another nightmare. Both Luna and Mako couldn't wake you up. You managed to give Makoto a black eye and you overpowered her in her Senshi form."

Usagi's eyes widened in shock. "That's impossible." She whispered. None of the other Senshi were stronger then Jupiter.

Rei ignored Usagi's comment. "Finally Luna called Ami, it was the only way she could think of for you to avoid hurting yourself. From what they tell me, you teleported before any of them could do anything. We found you at Mamoru's apartment, but you were sleeping so soundly that Luna said we shouldn't disturb you until you woke up on your own. Minako did cover you with a blanket, just so you wouldn't shiver and we brought you Mr. Fufu."

Usagi covered her head with her hands. _"Of all the things my FRIENDS could have done. They decide to tuck me in."_

"Couldn't you have just carried me home?" Usagi asked quietly, the strain she was feeling beginning to show in her voice.

__

"And get Mamoru to let go of his death grip. I don't think so." Rei thought back to the brief moment they had tried to free Usagi from Mamoru's arms. It had ended up with Mako collapsed on the floor in pain and Mamoru with even a tighter grip on Usagi.

"We tried." Rei said, "but it was impossible."

Usagi shook her head gently. "Well I'm awake now. When will you come get me?"

A pain looked crossed Rei's face and she looked quickly away. _This_ was the reason the Senshi had drawn straws.

"We've decided that you can't leave until you and Mamoru talk."

"WHAT?" Usagi shouted. "I hate that baka, I'll escape on my own." She was about to turn the communicator off, but something stopped her. Rei's visage showed a sadness that she had never seen before.

Rei quickly shook her head. "You can't escape. Motoki and Minako are guarding the front door. Makoto is guarding the balcony and Ami says you won't be able to teleport, it requires Luna's presence."

Usagi's eyes widened as every avenue of escape was cut off. Especially the teleport, that was the one way she had planned on escaping.

"We'll let you go as soon as you tell Mamoru you love him."

Usagi didn't even try to respond, she was too stunned. "L...Love him." She finally managed to stutter. 

"I don't love him." She denied.

"Then why did you call him Mamo-chan."

Usagi was shocked. _"How did they know? Did they here me in the hall?"_

"Luna." She said quietly. _"That cat is dead. I'll tell Artemis what she really thinks about him."_

"Also," Rei reminded her. "You admitted you loved him just a few days ago. Remember?."

Just then Mamoru pounded on the door again.

"Good luck Usagi." With that Rei's face faded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Rei ended the conversation, she rushed outside and grabbed the nearest object to help relieve her frustrations. Luckily it was the broom and not one of her ancestor's swords. Rei attacked the nonexistent leaves on the walkway.

__

"Usagi looked at me as if I was throwing her to the wolves. Well one wolf." She amended. _"I only hope that when this is all over she forgives me."_

Rei dropped the broom and went back inside to consult the fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru knelt before the door as he tried to look under the crack, all he could see were a pair of dainty feet. _"At least she's not trying to crawl out the window._" True his apartment was ten stories up. _"But she just might be desperate enough to try it."_

He waited patiently, deciding to give her time to get over her fright. She was whispering to herself, but he couldn't make out he words.

Her tone of voice became more frightened. Mamoru stood up and pounded on the door, he couldn't take it any longer. "Are you okay Usako?" He asked concern filling his voice.

Tears streamed down Usagi's face. "Just leave me alone." She cried and then her tears became a downpour..

Mamoru listened to her crying and then looked down at the lock. It was the kind you could open with a wire hanger. But he didn't dare go to his room to get one. What if she tried to leave?

__

"You're not Tuxedo Kamen, for nothing." His inner voice chided him. Mamoru concentrated and created a steel-tipped rose. Then he proceeded to pick the lock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi heard a scraping noise and hid behind the shower curtain as the door swung open. She peeked around the edge wondering if she could manage to run around Mamoru.

**__**

"HENTAI!" She screamed shocked. She quickly ducked behind the curtain. 

Mamoru glanced down at his unclad form, the thought barely registering that he didn't have a stitch on.

"That's what you get for disturbing a guy in bed."

"You wear BOXERS to bed." Usagi countered .

"How do you know that Odango?"

Mamoru sighed when she didn't answer his question. He quickly grabbed a dirty pair of boxers from the hamper and pulled them on. "There I'm covered. Now let's talk."

Usagi stayed behind her shield not daring to believe him. _"Although I could check just to see. One look wouldn't hurt."_

{"Shut up."} She told herself. Although the idea was very tempting. _"Maybe I should..."_

"Usagi come out right now." Mamoru's voice was filled with determination. _"She'd better do it or I won't be responsible for the consequences."_

"No way. I'm staying here." 

Mamoru strode towards her determination in every step. He'd just run out of patience.

__

"First she faints on me. Refuses my present. Avoids me for three days. Then pours a milkshake over my head. Now she refuses to talk with me. Enough is enough."

Mamoru gripped the shower curtain and then pulled. The plastic tore as it popped from the rings and the entire curtain fell down. Usagi glared at Mamoru. 

Before Usagi could even think, she found herself enfolded in the shower curtain. Mamoru swung her over his shoulder like a sack of grain and then went down the hall towards his bedroom. 

"Don't you dare take me to your room hentai." Usagi protested as she feebly tried to escape.

"Fine." Mamoru said switching directions going to the front room.

Usagi sighed in relief as she realized that Mako and Ami wouldn't be able to see them.

Mamoru plopped Usagi down on the couch and then waited as she tore the plastic sheath off. They stared at each other for a moment. Neither knew what to say.

~~~~~

Usagi fingered the plastic as she tried to come up with a last ditch escape plan. _"I wonder if I threw this over his head and ran. How far could I get?"_

She looked at Mamoru's determined face.

__

"Not very far." She admitted to herself as she glanced at the front door. _"Especially with Minako and Motoki right outside."  
"Hey, when did Motoki become a part of the group."_ Her thoughts rambled from one question to another as she desperately tried to avoid Mamoru's eyes.

Mamoru sighed heavily as he followed her gaze to the front door. "Don't even think about it." He said grabbing the plastic from her, balling it up, and throwing it down the hall. "If you manage to escape again, then I will come after you. And this time I won't let your cat or your father stop me. Do you understand?"  
Usagi nodded in acquiescence.

__

"Good." Mamoru thought recognizing the look of defeat. _"Now we can finally talk."_

"Why did you come here Usagi?" It was the question he had been desperately trying to ask her for the past three days. He no longer cared _how_ it had happened. He just needed to understand why.

Usagi's eyes widened and tears began to well up. Mamoru scooted to the other end of the couch as he slowly shook his head. _"Every time I've been near her lately; she either cries, faints, or runs away."_

It was time for Usagi to make a choice. He kept his distance, but spread his arms wide, letting her know that he'd comfort her if she wanted.

"Why I came here?" Usagi repeated the question quietly.

"DO YOU THINK I HAD A CHOICE?" She yelled as she stood up and began pacing nervously. The exhaustions and frustrations of the past week were finally catching up to her, but they combined to give her a boost of hysterical adrenalin-charged energy. 

The torrent of tears continued, Usagi stood up and began pacing back and forth. "I didn't do it on purpose." She wailed. "Do you _think_ I want to be stuck with **_YOU_**? Believe me if I had a choice, I would choose anyone else before I chose you."

__

"Ouch." That shot decided to hit him right in the heart. _"I didn't think she hated me THAT much."_

"I was supposed to have a NORMAL life. Instead I get handed the twilight zone and I'm expected to just DEAL WITH IT!" Usagi continued, not even realizing what she was saying, what affect she was having on Mamoru.

Her normal life had flown out the window the day she'd received her brooch. _"Here Usagi, save the world. Keep secrets from your family. You can't tell anyone, except your friends, and they have to deal with it too; so don't expect any sympathy."_

"A normal life, with normal friends. That's all I ever wanted. Instead I get you, nightmares, and whatever monsters fate decides to throw at me."

Mamoru was stunned. _"She thinks I'm a monster, I give her nightmares."_

Usagi saw the shocked look on Mamoru's face. _"What did I say?"_ She thought trying to remember what her ramblings had been about. _"I didn't mean to hurt him. I..."_

Tears began to pour down her face as one of the barriers that she'd desperately been struggling to keep from crumbling came crashing down. _"I love him."_ She admitted to herself. _"I love him enough that I won't let anything keep him away from me, even the nightmares."_ She paused. _"Especially the nightmares."_

She threw herself into Mamoru's opened arms and allowed him to comfort her. Mamoru rocked her gently, holding her, whispering reassuring phrases until the tears began to die down.

As the last tear rolled down her face, Mamoru caught it and stared at it in wonder.

Usagi looked at him. "Why are you being so nice to me? You hate me."

"Is that what you think?" Mamoru asked.

"Well, you always tease me."

Mamoru smiled as he thought about all the times he had teased her, how fun it was to watch her react.

"I teased you because that was the only way you would talk to me. The one time I was nice to you; you felt my forehead, murmured something about a fever and wandered away."

He paused for a moment and stared into her eyes. "I love you Usako."

Usagi's eyes widened, Mamoru leaned closer to kiss her, but stopped only a fingerswidth from her lips.

Usagi was trembling. _"What is he waiting for? For me to hit him."_

She smiled as she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. "I love you Mamo-chan."  
Mamoru captured her lips and the world fell away as they kissed.

~~~~~

It seemed like minutes, but it was actually hours later that a beeping interrupted the couple.

__

"I'm going to kill Rei." Usagi thought as Mamoru pulled away and glanced at the wall clock. 

"Usako why do you have your alarm set for six A.M. Especially on Sunday morning." He reached for her wrist so he could turn the watch off..

"It's not an alarm." Usagi said trying to pull her wrist away. _"My communicator. Oh Kami. Don't let him find out like this."_

It was too late. Mamoru managed to capture her wrist, he glanced down at it. "How do you turn it off?" He pushed the flashing blue button, the beeping stopped. Sailor Mercury's face was revealed. "There's a youma near the 2nd street park. Hurry up. Jupiter we need Sailor Moon immediately."

The message ended and then was repeated.

"Why do you have one of the Senshi's communicators?" Mamoru asked confused. "Did you find it on the sidewalk?"  
Just then Sailor Jupiter entered the room, carrying Usagi's brooch. "Usagi we need you now. I found this hidden beneath his pillow. You and Mamoru will have to make out later."

Mamoru's eyes widened as he looked at the communicator and then at the brooch that Jupiter was holding.

He looked at Usagi. _"Could it be true? Is she...?"_

"Sailor Moon." He whispered.

Usagi nodded swiftly as she took the brooch from Jupiter, stood up, and said "Moon Prism Power Makeup"

A dazzling display of lights filled the room as she transformed.

Once it was gone. Mamoru sat staring at her in shock. _"My girlfriend is Sailor Moon. The champion of love and justice."_

He watched her face, she was looking at him anxiously. He smiled. "I guess we've both been keeping secrets from the other."

He stood up, pulled a rose from the air and transformed into Tuxedo Kamen. "I just found you, I don't think I'll let you go off alone."

Usagi's jaw dropped as she stared at her tuxedo-clad boyfriend. He was halfway down the hall so he didn't hear Jupiter's whispered remark.

"No fair. We have to be naked when we transform and he gets to just change. We don't get to see ANYTHING." The last sentence was indignant. She glanced at Usagi. "He's your boyfriend, don't you care? He just saw you transform, don't you think you should get the same chance."

Usagi blushed as she remembered what she had seen in the bathroom. "Don't you dare transform in front of him." She whispered and then rushed down the hall.

~~~~~

They both rushed to the balcony, where Tuxedo Kamen was waiting impatiently. "Did you two have to stop and do your makeup?" He asked acidly. "There is a youma we need to fight."

Sailor Moon glanced at the balcony and paled. "I'll...I'll...I'll take the elevator and go by ground." She ignored Tuxedo Kamen's comment, realizing that at the moment that was the only way he could relieve the stress he felt. She was more concerned about the balcony.

Mamoru glanced at Makoto. "I won't drop her."

Jupiter nodded. Mamoru picked Usagi up, not letting her argue, he stepped out onto the balcony and jumped up to the roof. Jupiter followed right behind him.

Sailor Moon hid her head as they jumped for the first time. Then as they landed safely on the roof, she realized that Tuxedo Kamen could jump higher then she could. She didn't say anything as they went from rooftop to rooftop. They were at the park in minutes.

Once at the park Tuxedo Kamen released Sailor Moon, he kissed her swiftly. "I'll be in the treetops in case you need me." He rushed off and left her and Sailor Jupiter alone.

They glanced at the newest enemy. The youma looked like a giant firework. Its head was a triangular pyramid. And it was holding a bunch of sparklers in its hands. Mercury and Mars had already fallen to the ground injured, and slightly burned. The youma was about to attack them when a chain of hearts wrapped around it and pulled it away.

Jupiter began her attack. "Supreme Thun...."

"No Jupiter." Mercury cried out. "If you hit it, it'll explode and kill me and Mars. It's full of gunpowder."

Jupiter nodded and used the distraction that Venus was causing to run forward and pick up a Senshi in each arm. She rushed back to Sailor Moon. Usagi stood there looking at her Tiara and then glancing at Mercury. "Will I make it explode?"

Mercury nodded as Jupiter put her down. "Let me hit it first, then you can attack."  
Usagi nodded and waited while Ami lifted her arms and called out. "Shine Aqua Illusion." A stream of water rushed forward and hit the youma, neutralizing the gunpowder. 

"Now Sailor Moon." Tuxedo Kamen's voice called from the darkness. 

Sailor Moon nodded as she stepped away from her friends. "Moon Tiara Action." The tiara whizzed through the air and hit the youma in the exact spot that Mercury's attack had. Sparks flew from the youma and it exploded in a pyrotechnic display that was brighter then a grand finale at a Fourth of July celebration. 

The Senshi ducked as best they could; however, Sailor Moon was the closest to the exploding youma. A blast came aimed right at Sailor Moon. Tuxedo Kamen saw it coming and quickly pushed her out of the way, absorbing the full brunt of the blast.

Sailor Moon knelt over him, checking for a pulse. It was there, but faint. "No!" She cried realizing that he wasn't breathing. She bent down covering his lips with her own and breathed life back into him.

His eyes flittered open and he sat up coughing. 

"Are you okay?" He gasped, looking at his beloved. 

Usagi nodded tears streaming down her face. Mamoru reached a hand up and wiped the tears away. He sat up carefully and wrapped his arms around her shaking form. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

Usagi nodded and then yawned heavily. Mamoru echoed her yawn. They both detransformed and then lay down on the cold ground as sleep claimed them.

The rest of the Senshi were shocked. They had watched as Tuxedo Kamen was hit, now both he and Sailor Moon had fallen to the ground.

Mercury quickly examined them with her computer. "They're both asleep, nothing more." The rest of the Senshi sighed in relief, at least they weren't dead.

" We should probably move them before anyone comes by."

Makoto and Rei nodded and together they picked Mamoru up. Ami and Minako picked up Usagi. The Senshi hurried back to Mamoru's apartment where they left the exhausted couple alone. As soon as they were under the covers, Mamoru reached out a hand searching for his beloved. Usagi sighed as he pulled her closer to him.

That night they shared the same dream and this time they weren't going to let death win.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well everyone enjoy this chapter and Too Many Tests. I'm going on Spring Break (California here I come.) Actually Kat did remind me that I needed to post before I left, so I did delay my leaving just for that. (And you guys think I'm not dedicated to my work.) I am going to blame my computer crashing on Kat though. Did you guys read about how she blew it up? Actually she didn't but it is as good an excuse as any. You guys I am still wading through about a week's worth of e-mails so anyone I owe an e-mail to I will have that out by tonight. Kay.

This chapter was a bit harder to write then the rest, because it is a lot more serious. I do hope that it lived up to everyone's expectations.

I'm off to sunny beaches and the redwood forests (one of my favorite spots in the U.S.) I'm not sure if they have computers where I'm going. (Actually they do, but I'm not sure if I'll have access to them. But if someone does happen to e-mail me then I'm sure I'll manage to e-mail you back. I'm just not sure if I'll have enough time for writing, so expect Chapter 9 and the epilogue in about a week. 

I realize that this chapter was a bit more serious than the others, but I hope it lived up to everyone's expectations; if not, then well I'll just try harder next time.

Ja ne 

Analla


	9. Death

__

Usagi knelt over Mamoru's prone form. "Please." She whispered as she took his wrist feeling for a pulse. 

"NO!" She cried in anguish, dropping the lifeless hand. It wasn't there. No pulse. No gentle throbbing to reassure her that her beloved was still alive. 

She tilted his head back and began to try and breathe life back into the clammy body. Then she positioned her hands and pressed firmly down on his chest, willing his heart to start beating on its own. Her entire world focused on being the heart and lungs for two people.

"And one and two and three and four..."

Tears were streaming down her face. "Come on." She cajoled him. "You're too stubborn to die. Who's going to tease me, call me Odango Atama?"

"Kami, what I would give to hear that name one more time."

__

The air turned distinctly chilly as a figure swathed in black stepped into the clearing. "He's dead you realize." The voice that came from the thin lips held a note of triumph.

Usagi didn't pay any attention to him; in fact, she made no sign that she had even heard the apparition. _Her entire concentration was centered on trying to make Mamo-chan breathe again, through the miracle known as CPR._

Death's visage grew slightly annoyed when he realized that the blonde was ignoring him. "Didn't you hear what I said?" He demanded his voice full of ice.

Usagi spared one moment from her important mission to gaze up at the apparition up. She studied the wraith calmly, decided he couldn't help her; so she glanced back down and ignored him.

Death wanted to stamp his foot in frustration. In the entire history of the Universe, NO ONE had dismissed him so easily. It just wasn't done. "He's dead. Leave him be."

~~~~~

__

Just then Mamoru sat up coughing. Usagi patted his back, helping him to clear his throat. As soon as she assured herself that he was okay; Usagi stood up and stared at death indignantly.

The royal princess was thoroughly pissed off and felt the need to shed bled. 

"Leave us alone." She ordered transforming instantly into Sailor Moon, a golden crescent flashing on her forehead.

Sailor Moon stepped in front of Mamoru, blocking any chance Death had of reaching him. She gripped her tiara tightly, prepared to use it against the person who had tried to let her Mamo-chan die off. "Go now before I decide to moondust you."

Death stared back at her, his face unchanging. The darkness coalesced into a single pinprick of nothingness. "Dust!" The voice called, echoing in a cacophony of voices. "How appropriate!" With that the figure disappeared leaving silence behind.

Mamoru cried out in pain. Usagi turned around, wishing to comfort him; but she could only stare at the sight that met her eyes. Mamoru had changed, aging thirty years in only a moment. Wrinkles lined his face and his hair was shot through with silver.

"Usako." He whispered reaching his hands towards her. 

"You're bleeding." She whispered as she knelt down, took his hands into her own, and examined them. Miniscule cracks were forming at his finger joints, dripping blood slowly. The cracks continued on up his arms to his neck and over the rest of his body. The blood oozed out slowly, until most of his body was covered in a crimson mass, saturating his clothes. 

Usagi was near tears; she had no idea how to stop this. "Unless I cover him up like a mummy, there's no way I can bandage his entire body." _She cried in relief as the blood stopped flowing and began to dry up. "I love you." Mamoru whispered as he lifted his blood-encrusted hand to his soulmate's face._

Usagi kissed the hands quietly, ignoring the bitter taste.

"Don't worry, we'll find some way to change you back."

Mamoru shook his head gently; he knew what was going to happen to him. "I'm dying Usagi, let me go."

Usagi pulled back as she heard Mamoru calmly accept his fate. "You're fine." She insisted. Usagi moved closer and buried her face in his jacket, willing him to comfort her. To tell her that everything would be all right. "Ami will find a way to change you back. You'll see. "

"My little optimist." _Mamoru thought as another wave of pain hit his body. He shuddered slightly, feeling his strength begin to drain away. He didn't have much time. An intense heat crept over his body, hotter than any inferno. He pulled Usagi closer to him, nuzzled her hair gently, and then pushed her away._

Only their hands touched. But Mamoru knew that soon, very soon; he would have to go. He was thankful that he was at least given the chance to say goodbye.

"Usako." He whispered the word, but his voice held a commanding tone. Usagi looked up at him fearfully.

His face was even more wrinkled.

"Remember..."

His hair became even more silver and his face began to shrivel up.

"That I love you."

With that he stiffened and his eyes closed, his wizened body collapsed to the ground. Usagi gripped his frail hand and tried to feel for a pulse. The hand turned to dust. Usagi watched horrified as the empty shell of a body disintegrated.

Grief struck her and a keening sound replaced the unnatural silence. Usagi didn't know how long she knelt there, trying to cradle the pile of dust, unable to figure out how to put it together. Light fell upon the clearing as the sun swallowed up the darkness. A light breeze wafted through the air and scattered the ashes to the four winds.

Usagi fell to the ground and pounded it in frustration. "NO." She moaned, the anguish nearly tearing her 

apart. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!"

A hand came to rest on her shoulder. She screamed in surprise and turned around bringing her hands into a defense position, ready to defeat her attacker.

. "Are you ok?" Blue eyes gazed at her intently. Mamoru stood before her: whole, untouched. 

Usagi shook her head in disbelief as she stared at the mist-covered waste and then back to the form of her beloved. She looked down at her hands and realized that they were no longer stained scarlet.

__

"Mamoru." She cried in relief, allowing him to pull her up. Once on her feet she threw herself into his arms. "You were dead I saw you." The black-haired man lifted his hands up and stroked her head soothingly.

"That wasn't me, it was another one of his_ tricks."_

Usagi stepped back and stared at the man who she realized wasn't Mamoru. True they looked exactly alike, but the inflections in his voice were entirely different from the ones in Mamoru's. 

"Who are you?" She asked suspiciously, wondering if this was another way Death had come up with to torment her.

"Don't you remember Serenity?"  
For a brief instant, a picture flashed before Usagi's face. A crystal balcony, her beloved's blood flowing across it in a small rivulet.

"No." She cried refusing to remember.

Endymion sighed as he glanced at his beloved. "This is going to be harder than I thought." He whispered to himself. Then he began to wonder the best way to make his beloved face their deaths. "Kami, do I have to make her go through that again? It was hard enough the first time."  
_"Usagi. You must remember." He said it quietly, but his voice was full of pain._

Usagi glanced up at the stranger who looked so much like Mamoru. "Please don't make me." She begged knowing that he could persuade her to. "Do you know what happens?"  
"Yes Serenity I do." 

Endymion's heart broke and doubt flitted through his mind. But he stepped forward, pulled Usagi close to himself and forced her to remember.

Usagi's eyes were closed, but she saw each image clearly, they had been imprinted on her retina so long ago.

~~~~~~~~

Serenity stood before the full-length mirror and coolly examined hers reflection. Tonight was the ball celebrating her eighteenth birthday and the reaching of her majority. Her outfit was perfect; except for one thing. She clutched the moonstone that hung around her neck. The necklace was beautiful, the most precious treasure that the moon kingdom possessed. If you didn't count the ginzuishou, of course.

The princess fingered the necklace and sighed heavily as she took it off. She replaced it with a simple locket. _"Mother better not comment on this. I've done everything else that she wanted."_

Yes, Serenity had done everything that her mother could wish for. She'd given up her one true love, her forbidden lover, all for the sake of the Moon Kingdom. It was most likely that tonight at the ball, her betrothal to some other prince would be announced. A last ditch effort to cement the ties of the kingdom with one of her allies.

The locket was her act of defiance. By tradition the jewelry that the moon princess wore on her coming of age was to be the most prized possession that she owned. That is why the moonstones were so special; they were a reminder that one-day the heir would possess the ginzuishou and be queen.

So Serenity had decided to defy tradition and wear the locket that Endymion had given her at their last meeting. Serenity took one last look at herself and smiled slightly. A smile of sadness. _"I'm sorry Endymion, please forgive me."_

With that thought she left for the ball.

The ball was spectacular; the queen had spared no expense. Halfway through Queen Serenity made her way towards the corner where her daughter had been sitting all evening, ignoring anyone who asked her to dance. "Serenity, please don't do this." The queen's voice was tinged with annoyance and an overwhelming sadness. "You know that nothing could ever come of that union."

Serenity stared at her mother and then looked away. "He was never our enemy. The others on earth might have turned against us, but even now he is suing for peace."

The queen turned away from her daughter, hiding the tears that had sprang to our eyes. Even now the queen regretted what had been a rash decision at the time; banning all earthlings from the moon. It was partly in response to the threat that the earth had begun to be; but it was mostly the fact that she had found out about her daughter's clandestine visits with none other than the prince of earth himself.

The decision had proven true; much to the queen's sorrow. The Earth was the one place she had never worried about being enemies with, until the darkness had begun to overtake it. If she had been more vigilant, she might have been able to stop it, heal the people of the dark spirits they possessed, but now it was too late. The Earthlings were too blinded by darkness to see reason. War had been declared.

Queen Serenity stepped away from her daughter, paused for one moment, and then looked back. "When you are queen you will understand."

Princess Serenity made no sign that she had heard her mother. She hunched up her shoulders, turned away, and let the tears fall freely.

"Why does such a rare beauty weep?"

The voice broke the princess out of her reverie. _"That voice."_ She thought turning. _"It sounds just like Endy..."_ She truly wanted to cry when she saw that the masked stranger wasn't her beloved. 

__

"Too tall, the wrong color of eyes, and BLOND hair." He was most definitely not her prince.

The tall stranger bowed deeply. "Perhaps the princess would honor me with a dance."

She was about to say no, but the man took her hand and kissed it lightly, pressing something into it, before he took a step back. Serenity turned her hand over and looked at the red rosebud. She lifted it to her face and smelled the sweet blossom. Roses, they were the gift that Endymion had given her to signify their undying love.

"Remember." The stranger whispered. "Things aren't always what they appear." As he said this his form...flickered, would be the best word. For a brief moment Serenity saw his true self: ebony hair and sea blue eyes that she could drown herself in.

"Endymion." She whispered taking his hand, letting the rose be crushed. "How?" The word was full of many questions; she couldn't decide which one to ask.

Endymion smiled. "That name shouldn't even be whispered. There are spies everywhere."

Serenity nodded her understanding.

"It is said that there is a device that makes it possible for illusions to seem real."

Serenity eyes widened. _"My transformation pen."_ She thought, it had been invented by Luna her Mother's counselor. The queen or princess used it when they had a need to disguise themselves. Serenity had used it to disguise her identity when she went to Earth.

"You left it behind once and I decided to study it." Endymion looked at his stunned princess and smiled, he loved to shock her. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Shall we dance Serenity or will you unmask me before everyone?"

Serenity shook her head no, lifted her hand, and allowed Endymion to sweep her onto the dance floor. They danced two dances before one of the courtiers cut in. It was three dances before Endymion could reclaim her. 

At the end of the dance he gazed down at her and felt his heart break. "Promise me that you won't give yourself to another." His eyes were stormy, pleading. "I don't know how, but I will find a way to redeem my planet in your mother's eyes. I will be worthy of you."

"Please Sere."

During his impassioned speech they had made their way out to the balcony. Together they glanced up at the earth.

"I promise." Serenity murmured. "I will wait for you Endy, even if it be an eternity."

They kissed, not noticing as the minutes flew by. 

"SERENITY!!!" 

Endymion and Serenity broke apart guiltily as they glanced at the reddened face of the Senshi of Mars. Rei stared at the two of them, her eyes widening as she realized who the Princess' companion was. Mars had the ability to see inside people's souls; it was impossible for her to ignore the love that shone between the two before her.

She swiveled her head quickly looking for spies. "It is forbidden for you to be here." She informed Endymion, and then she turned to Serenity. "If the guards find him, they'll kill him."

Serenity sighed in relief as she realized that Rei wasn't going to alert the guards. Endymion kissed her one last time, pressed another rose into her hand and whispered. "Remember."

With that the prince leapt away into the bushes, leaving his beloved to face her enraged friend. Serenity didn't listen to anything Rei said as she made her way to her bedroom.

__

"This night was perfect." She thought as she drifted off to sleep. Forgetting that the ball was supposed to go on until morning.

A sharp pain awakened her. It was a throbbing that began in the pit of her stomach and then crescendoed until it covered her entire body.

__

:Mother: She sent the thought, using their psychic link. _:What is happening?:_

The Queen didn't respond, but images were forced upon Serenity's mind. A large force of humans and monsters were advancing on the city's outer walls. They had come under the cover of darkness. 

__

:Hide yourself.: The queen commanded. It was all the attention that she could spare; the rest was focused on her crystal trying to fight off the horde that was advancing on them. She was also trying to relay her orders to her general's. 

Serenity broke the link, then formed a new bond. _:"Senshi, you are needed. The kingdom is under attack.":_

Surprise, shock, and fear made their way back along the bond. The attack had been so sudden that the Senshi were unaware of it until now. 

__

:"We will protect you Princess.": Minako said as she transformed and then made her way toward Serenity's chambers.

__

:"NO!": Serenity halted each of the Senshi. _:"I am protected, the people need you more."_ At this the princess showed her guardians what her mother had seen of the half-human horde. _"These monsters won't be felled by normal means. Take up your places on the city's inner wall. Use your powers to hold them back. We can't let them get through.":_

Each of the Senshi nodded and then reluctantly teleported to defense positions along the inner wall.

"May Selene protect you." Serenity murmured as she glanced at her ballgown. She hadn't taken the chance to change out of it, before going to bed. It was going to be awkward to hide in. A scratching at the window alerted her to the stranger's presence. She fell back fearfully from the knight dressed in black armor, outlined by the pale starlight.

The knight broke the glass in the window and stepped through effortlessly. The frightened girl stepped back, her eyes searching for a weapon. The stranger lifted his visor, then ducked just in time to allow a vase to fly over his head.

"Sere." Endymion murmured. "By the gods, you're still alive."

"Endy." Serenity flung herself into her beloved's arms and kissed what little of his face she could reach, ignoring the cold feel of the metal.

The Earth prince kissed her once and then loosened his hold. "We need to get you out of here right now. Beryl means to kill both you and your mother." He swore softly under his breath. "Had I known about the attack, my love, then I would have warned you."

By this time they had made their way to the ballroom. It was deserted; the leftover decorations made it appear haunted. "Is there anywhere that you can hide?"

"Yes, we have a hid---...." Serenity was cut off abruptly as a vision of redness overwhelmed her; she collapsed to the ground screaming in pain.

Endymion supported her as she came to her knees. "What is it?"

"Ami." She murmured as a picture came to her mind of the blue-haired Senshi's broken, bloody body littering the ground. Being trampled by a trio of monsters. "Mercury has fallen; she was not strong enough."

Serenity had felt her Ami as she died, heard her last thoughts, felt the final blow. Tears came to her eyes. "My friend." She cried. "Please forgive me."

Endymion looked at Serenity. "Grieve later." He told her harshly as he pulled her along after him. They made it two steps before she collapsed again. "Rei." The name was torn from her grief-stricken body. "NO!" She screamed as she felt the monsters tear her friend apart and begin to feed.

Jupiter was next and then Venus. Serenity was unable to move Endymion carried her along and then rested at the doors to the balcony. "Take me outside." Serenity commanded.

Endymion looked at her as if she had gone crazy. "We need to hide you."

"It's too late. They're already too close; I refuse to hide from them." She pulled a brooch from out of nowhere. "I will fight as well." 

She whispered her transformation phrase and moments later she stood before Endymion, outfitted as one of her Senshi.

Endymion stared at her in shock. "S..S..Sailor Moon." He muttered the phrase. "How can you be her?"

Serenity looked down at her change of clothes and grimaced. She realized why Endymion was surprised. Who the Senshi were was a closely guarded secret. None knew they were actually the royalty of each planet. Each of the Senshi could be recognized by the color of her uniform; which was why Endymion knew who she was.

"Will you help me fight?" Her eyes pleaded, begged him to help her.

Endymion nodded and together they made their way out to the balcony. Only to be greeted by a gloating Beryl.

She looked at Sailor Moon and smirked evilly. "So another Sailor brat wants to try and defeat me." She lifted her hands and aimed a blast of pure power at her adversary.

"No." Endymion cried as he pushed her out of the way and took the brunt of the blast. He fell to the ground, his helmet popping loose and skittering across the flagstones. 

Beryl was shocked. "Prince Endymion."

Sailor Moon ignored Beryl as she detransformed and knelt over Endymion's fallen form. He opened his eyes slowly and glanced up at her. "I guess we were never meant to be together Sere. At least I'll die in your arms." 

"No!" She cradled his head in her lap; not paying attention to the crimson pool that was spreading at her foot. Serenity concentrated and formed a clear dome over the two of them. It would protect them, while Endymion was healed. Next, she took down all of her shields and forged a link with Endymion. It tied their life-forces, their souls, together. 

Serenity felt the cold fingers of death, as they tried to rip Endymion's soul from his body. "Stay away." She ordered as she drained her own life-force trying to protect them. It was a losing battle. Very slowly, she felt the ebbing away of her own soul. It was too late, the damage too extensive. 

Endymion's magical armor disappeared and he pulled his princess closer. "We're together now. Death can't separate us."

He kissed her lips softly.

"I love you." With that his body stiffened and his spirit floated free.

__

:"Goodbye Mother." Usagi sent as her soul hastened to follow its mate.

Queen Serenity had felt the blow of each of the Senshi died, and now her daughter. There was no hope left, her kingdom had fallen. The queen raised the ginzuishou and poured everything that she was into it. She knew that it would be her death, but at least she could give her daughter another chance at life.

__

"Take care of her. Let her be reborn into a world where she won't have to worry about being a princess. Let her find her beloved and her friends, let them be happy." 

The crystal glowed silver; the light slowly crept across the face of the moon. When it touched a youma, or a possessed human, they screamed in pain. It engulfed everything. The body of the princess, her prince, and the Senshi floated above the pool of silver fire and came to rest in front of the Queen. With her last conscious thought, she sent them to the future, a future unmarred by the hand of the Dark Kingdom. She also made sure to send her two councilors along infusing them with memories that would arrive if the time were ever needed.

A flash filled the air and then all was silent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Usagi fell out of the link and stepped back fearfully from Endymion. "I'm not the princess." She denied refusing to believe the images that he had shown her.

Her form shifted. First she was Princess Serenity, then Sailor Moon, and finally plain old Tsukino Usagi. "No." She shook her head at the pictures that refused to leave.

A silver light infused the air and a tall figure stepped into the darkness. The silver light spread revealing the ruins of the Moon Kingdom. "Why do you deny your destiny?"_ The spirit of Queen Serenity asked. _"It is your responsibility to bear the ginzuishou"

__

Usagi glanced from Mamoru to Queen Serenity. How could she tell them that she feared death?

As if the thought had summoned him, the black shade appeared. He laughed mockingly. "She openly refuses her birthright, therefore she is mine."

A slender chain erupted from the ground and attached itself to Usagi's leg.

"Mamoru, help me."

Prince Endymion's form shifted, until Mamoru stood before Usagi. He came up to her and hugged her tightly. Then he changed into Tuxedo Kamen, his cloak enveloped them. He pressed a rose into Usagi's hand. She glanced up at him. 

"Remember Princess." He said it softly and then stepped away, leaving her to face her demons.

Usagi gazed at the rose, and then she looked up, prepared to face death. Her form waiver and she transformed into Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon stared at death coldly and then held out her hand. "I believe you have something of mine."

Death smiled softly. "So you've grown teeth. Do you truly want it Serenity? Remember what will happen?"

Usagi was assaulted by images of her and the other Senshi, dying in a cold land; far away and alone. Usagi gritted her teeth and then accepted her true transformation. Her skirt lengthened and paled as the fabric took on a gossamer effect. Her bodice became jeweled and glowed with a soft light. The tears were wiped away and she faced death calmly.

"Give me the ginzuishou." She commanded, pouring all of her power into the order.

Death screamed as seven clear crystals were ripped from his body. They flew towards Serenity and then floated in a circle, coming together to form the ginzuishou. Serenity cradled the crystal against her chest.

"BEGONE!" She ordered the specter. Death uttered another painful cry as it exploded into nothingness. The dress melted from Serenity's body, until only Sailor Moon stood there. She clutched the crystal protectively, leaning into Tuxedo Kamen as his arm came around her.

Together they faced the sovereign of the moon.

Queen Serenity smiled. "I am proud of you daughter. You will face death again, but you shall be strong enough to overcome it." She looked at Mamoru. "Please protect her, Son of Earth."

Mamoru nodded.

The queen stepped back and slowly disappeared.

"I love you, my daughter."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can now shout in relief because:

__

MY FIC

Is finally 

DONE!!! 

YEAH!!!!!

Oh wait, I still have to write the epilogue and the author's notes.

You guys go write your reviews and I will think up a fitting end to the story. This chapter is for all of you that wanted angst. Just so you know. The italics were a dream and the regular print was a flashback to the moon kingdom. Everything will be wrapped up nicely in the epilogue, promise. (Especially for those of you who just read this chapter and are going....HUH!!!)


	10. Epilogue

Hey Minna, It's been a long time. 

**glances at watch**

"Hmm, stopped ticking."

**Pulls calendar out***

**blows off the dust**

I study the calendar carefully, making absolutely sure of the date.

"Gee, has it been THAT long? Ummmm...."

**starts to back away slowly**

"You guys aren't too mad? Right?"

**Runs away, then halfway through the run I realize something and skid to a halt.

"Guess I forgot the disclaimer." I study my list. "Who haven't we used so far?"

"Pluto, Mercury, Jupiter, Rei, Venus, Chibi-Usa, Luna, Mamoru, Sailor Moon. Haruka and Michiru are busy babysitting Hotaru."

"Wait," I snap my fingers. "We haven't used Artemis yet."

Artemis appears in a puff of smoke. He takes one look at me and then turns his head away disdainfully.

"Artemis, would you mind reading the disclaimer?"

"No, first you get me thrown out the window and now I'm the leftovers. Go get someone else to read it."  


--Ugh---Baka cat. I groan. Can my day get any worse?

"Fine." I snap. "If you don't know how to read, you just should've said so. I'll get Motoki to read it, he'd be happy to."

I get about four feet before Artemis snaps out a rebuttal. "I can so read."

"Prove it." I throw the paper at his feet. "A sentence shouldn't be too hard."

Artemis stalks over to the piece of paper. "Analla doesn't own Sailor Moon."

I pet Artemis and he purrs against his own will. "See that wasn't too hard, was it?"

Analla glances back at the crowd who, for some mysterious reason that seems to happen in all anime, have stopped running towards her so that she could have her little scene with Artemis. (You guys all realize that time is stopped when this needs to happen. That way you can have the longest transformation scene in the world but even though it looks like it takes an hour, only about two seconds have passed)

The crowd is coming out of its stupor and they begin stalking towards Analla en masse.

--YIKES-- I throw the chapter down and run. "You guys enjoy the fic."

Side Author's Note: I'm going to eventually go through and revise this whole thing, but I kept saying that and time kept passing so instead of going in and revising and then posting the epilogue. I'll post the epilogue first and then go back and revise. 

Enjoy the fic minna.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mamoru shifted uncomfortably. 

COLD!!! A bitter, iciness greeted his return to awareness. He cracked an eye open, only to find that all of the blankets were gone. He sat up and looked around the room. Sunlight was streaming in through the open balcony door, the sounds of afternoon traffic wafting up from the street. 

Blissfully unaware of anything that was going on, Usagi slept peacefully, wrapped up tightly in the blankets that she had managed to reappropriate during the night. 

"Usa." Mamoru nudged her gently. He tried to reach for the edge of one of the blankets so he could pull it back over his shivering body. Usagi must have sensed his intentions, because she rolled herself slightly, tucking the edge of the blanket firmly underneath her body. 

Mamoru sighed, wondering if he would be able to wrestle part of the blanket away from her, or if he should consider it a futile exercise and get up.

If Usagi was as protective of blankets as she was of her food, then it might not be in his best interests to disturb her. He remembered the one time he had stolen her milkshake from her, only as a joke. He shuddered, it wasn't an experience that he was willing to repeat. Yes, leaving her alone would definitely help him to prove that he did not have a death wish.

He moved to the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb Usagi. First of all he needed a cup of coffee, then he might be able to start the day. He was halfway down the hall, before his hazy mind recognized the fact that he was wearing sweats, the bulkiest pair that he owned. He KNEW he hadn't been wearing them after he detransformed, which meant.....

Just then he heard an unfamiliar voice. "Usagi is the PRINCESS! Great Selene, Usagi is no more the princess then I am a fish. I don't care what you dreamed, it's impossible."

Anger flushed through Mamoru's system. The sigil of Earth flared on his forehead. How DARE one of Serenity's own Senshi deny who she was, especially after experiencing the fall of the Moon Kingdom. 

"You'd better believe it." His voice was calm as he entered the front room, but it was backed by the full power of the Prince of Earth. Mamoru glanced at each of the Senshi silently commanding them to let him know who had made the doubting comment.

The Senshi looked guiltily at each other and then their eyes focused on the black cat standing on the coffee table. She had stopped mid-sentence.

"Luna." Mamoru's voice was chiding. 

Luna glanced up at Mamoru, her eyes widening when she saw the sigil. She sat down and closed her mouth, then she REALLY looked at Mamoru. Recognition flooded into the feline's eyes as all of her repressed and forgotten memories of the Moon Kingdom came flashing to the forefront of her mind.

"Prince Endymion." She whispered reverently bowing. The other Senshi quickly followed suit, paying their respects to the prince.

Motoki was sitting on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table. He watched in confused fascination. Ever since discovering the girl's identities, he'd decided that nothing else could surprise him. After all his best friend was a tuxedo-clad hero who threw roses, one of his best customers was a heroine that saved the world on a daily basis, and his girlfriend was also a super heroine. Even when Luna had first talked, he'd been so numbed by the previous shocks, that he treated her and Artemis as if talking cats were a normal everyday event.

He was deciding whether to get up and bow, when Mamoru's eyes wandered his way.

Mamoru looked at his friend in astonishment. Motoki's socks had been removed and his feet were propped up on the edge of the coffee table. Lying guiltily beside Motoki's freshly painted toenails was a bottle of bright red nail polish.

Mamoru doubled up laughing shattering the quiet calm. "M....M....Motoki, wh...why d...did.....you-" That was as far as he got before he started laughing again.

Glaring at Mamoru, Minako picked up the nail polish and defiantly painted another of Motoki's toes.

"At least he didn't run out in the hall in his birthday suit." She retorted hotly.

"WHAT?!?!?" Luna cried. Her voice raising five hundred decibels with the single word. 

The Senshi glanced at Minako, then locked their gaze on Mamoru. Mamoru blushed hotly, he backed up slowly down the hall trying to put as much space between him and Luna as possible. If looks could kill...... {Looks can't but claws can.] His inner voice reminded him. With that thought Mamoru rushed down the hall, escaping to the safety of his bedroom.

Mamoru moved so swiftly that the Senshi didn't realize he had left until they heard the click of his lock.

The group ran as one towards Mamoru's bedroom. Luna was the first to arrive, being more agile and much smaller. She hissed menacingly at the door standing up on her hind legs, pawing the door threateningly.

Mamoru leaned on the other side of the door. Usagi sat up with sleep-bleared eyes. She stretched languidly, yawning. "M...." She yawned again. "Mamo-chan, what's wrong?"

Mamoru threw Usagi a panic-stricken look. "We need to leave." The door vibrated violently. "Now."

Out in the hall, Makoto watched impatiently as the others tried to push the door open. "Get out of the way."

The Senshi, Motoki, and Luna quickly stepped away from the door; not wanting to anger Makoto.

Back in the bedroom Usagi finished stretching and smiled up at Mamoru. "Why?"

Just then, Mamoru toppled to the floor and the door burst open. Makoto looked at the vanquished door. What the other Senshi had been unable to accomplish with all their shoving. She had done with one well-aimed kick.

Usagi struggled to untangle herself from the covers. This was a scene she would be unable to come up with in her worst nightmares. Luna looked ready to massacre Mamoru. Mamoru had managed to scoot his way to the foot of the bed, but shock kept him from pushing himself up. Usagi continued to struggle with the blankets. In exasperation she finally gave up and rolled herself off of the bed. 

Luna stopped mid-hiss, resheathing her claws, not wanting to harm Usagi.

"What....." Usagi trailed off burrowing her head into Mamoru's chest. "This is not happening." She whispered quietly.

Mamoru smiled when he heard that. "I'm afraid it is love." He lifted her chin gently and kissed her lightly on the lips.

A smile crossed his face, perhaps the best way to get out of this, was to use his newly discovered authority.

He put on the mantle of the prince of earth, ignoring the fact that he was in a very compromising situation, he looked at each of the Senshi letting his annoyance show. "The Princess and I desire to be alone."

The Senshi looked at Usagi then Mamoru. They stood there, arms folded, their faces getting across the message. Yeah right.

Usagi stole a glance at her friends before blushing furiously and pulling the blanket over her head.

Motoki watched Mamoru for a few more moments, before he decided to help him out of his predicament. After the comment in the front room, Motoki seriously considered just letting Mamoru sit there, while Luna used him for a pincushion. 

Finally he crossed the room and held his hand out to help Mamoru up. 

Mamoru held Usagi closely to his chest with his right arm, then held out his left hand to Motoki. Moments later they were both standing. Usagi removed the blanket, her face a bright red. It was difficult to tell whether her flushed face was the result of being under the blanket, or because she was embarrassed.

Usagi glared imperiously at everyone as she made her way to the hall, it would have been an excellent way to save face, if she hadn't tripped over the edge of the blanket.

They finally made it to the front room. Mamoru was firmly ensconced on the sofa sitting between Makoto and Rei. Usagi was on the other side of the room, guarded by Luna and Ami. Motoki would've helped, but Minako refused to stand in the way of true love. 

Usagi yawned heavily. "Luna, can't you lecture me later?" She yawned again. "I really am tired."

Luna rolled her eyes, Usagi was the only girl that she knew of that could spend the majority of the past five days sleeping and still be tired. She was about to protest when she saw a fleeting look of pain cross Usagi's face. [All of Serenity's memories, they're fresh in Usagi's mind. As if they happened today, not a thousand years ago.]

"Very well." Luna acquiesced. "We'll meet at the temple tomorrow when we can discuss everything that's happened.."

Luna shot a glance at Mamoru letting him know that they would discuss everything, especially any details that she had missed when Usagi made one of her midnight teleportations.

Mamoru gulped heavily, not looking forward to tomorrow. 

"What about me?" Motoki asked. He'd begun to feel a little left out, true he was the only non-superhero in the room, but he had helped.

Mamoru groaned. He really didn't need Motoki there to see his humiliation. Before he could say anything, Mina invited Motoki to come to the temple at 3 o'clock.

"If you can get off work off course."

Motoki smiled. "Oh don't worry, I'm NOT going to miss this."

After that had been decided the Senshi marched Usagi to the bathroom and gave her a change of clothes so she wouldn't have to walk home in her nightgown. After Usagi changed, they each took up a corner and became her sentinels as she left Mamoru's apartment and went home.

Mamoru left the temple the next day, relatively unharmed. Luna had cornered him and given him a very VIVID description of what she would do to him if he ever hurt Usagi. Beyond that and the possibility of being ribbed by Motoki for the next few days, Mamoru figured that he had gotten off quite easily.

Usagi's punishment was that there was to be NO more teleporting. Luna had decided that she would be staying at Minako's house for the next week to make sure Usagi wouldn't be able to teleport.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

For most of the citizens of Tokyo, watching the thunderstorm roll in was fascinating. Forked tongues of fire lit the sky and accompanied by the timpani roll of thunder. Together they created one of the most fabulous displays of nature's beauty that Japan had ever scene.

Usagi was huddled on her bed, not caring what the rest of Tokyo thought, only knowing that she was scared. The worst thing was that Luna, who normally would've been there to help Usagi survive the storm, had gone off to Minako's house so Usagi wouldn't be able to teleport. Another crash of thunder caused Usagi to leap under her bed in fright.

Usagi clutched her brooch tightly to her breast. Luna was a safeguard to keep her from teleporting needlessly, but when her life was in danger, she was able to step around that. Allowing her fear to engulf her, Usagi wished desperately to be safe.

Mamoru was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the storm that raged outside his room. 

A light pop filled the air.

Usagi smiled to herself when she realized that she had teleported successfully. It took her a moment to realize that she was floating midair. It took a fraction of the time for gravity to take affect.

Mamoru awoke swiftly as a heavy object landed on top of him. 

He reached his hands up. "Usako?" He asked through sleep-bleared eyes. Confused he shook his head. "What are you doing here?" A more important question stampeded through his mind. "Where's Luna?"  


Just then, a bolt of lightning struck the roof of the building next to them. Usagi grabbed Mamoru in a death grip, tears welled up in her eyes. "Mamo-chan, there's lightning."

Mamoru sighed as he sat up, he cradled Usagi against his chest and kissed her hair gently. He pulled away briefly.

"Usagi, we agreed you wouldn't do this." His voice was firm, unforgiving. He knew if he didn't draw the line now, then he could expect to have Usagi dropping in at all hours of the night.

"But Mamo-chan." Usagi protested.

Another flash of lightning lit the sky revealing Mamoru's determined face. "Go home Usagi-chan."

Usagi looked at him in astonishment, her lip curled into a pout. "I thought you loved me."

"I do Usa, but you need to back to your house." Mamoru pulled his arms away from Usagi and turned away.

Usagi cast one last look of astonishment at him, then she stood up and stepped away. She reached up and touched her brooch, willing herself to return home. She ignored the thunder and lightning, but glared at Mamoru, tears in her eyes.

Mamoru steeled himself for the Usagi's last attempt at pleading. He was surprised when it didn't come, the room was silent. He turned his face back to Usagi, she was lit by a silver mist. Her body was beginning to become less defined, more a shadow then anything. It was the look of betrayal on Usagi's face that did him in.

Accepting the uninviteable, and refusing to torture himself any longer, Mamoru cried out softly. "Wait."

Usagi didn't wait for him to renege, she pulled herself out of the teleport and launched herself into Mamoru's arms.

"This is only for tonight Usako." Mamoru warned her.

Usagi reached up and patted Mamoru's cheek in contentment, as she wormed her way under the blankets and fell into a light sleep. 

Mamoru smiled when he realized that Usagi was asleep. He kissed her forehead lightly and then settled in next to her.

Usagi woke briefly hours later, long after the thunder and lightning was gone. She smiled, all was right with the world.

Snug as a bug in a rug as her grandmother would say. She grinned impishly. Actually it should be snug as a bug in a Mamo-chan.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Author's Note: There the fic is done. Now there can't be anymore complaints. I'm sorry it took me so long to post the entire thing at ff.net, but well....

**Analla shrugs**

Life happens. I'm about to come back from my fanfiction writing hiatus with a vengeance. (Just because I haven't been posting doesn't mean that I haven't been writing. I have megs of data on my computer to prove otherwise and most of it is pretty good. So expect an AU Sailor Moon story, an Inuyasha story, and possibly a Ruroni Kenshin story. If anyone wants to be a beta, please e-mail me at kayla_3332003@yahoo.com. All you need is an eye for detail and minor grammar skills. I have difficulties with knowing where to place commas. My spelling is good. And everything else is fine, I just need people to help polish things.

Sidenote: Usako4life and Fireash. How in the WORLD did you guys find this story on ff.net to review? It must have been buried under mounds and mounds of other crap.

Ja Minna

Sneak Peek At Inuyasha story, well the summary at least.

The fates decide to teach Sesshoumaru about Inuyasha's life. Jaken's flabbergasted. Rin's ecstatic. And Sesshoumaru. . . . . well . . . . . he's definitely not a happy puppy.


End file.
